


Arkosh's Adventures

by GoldenCheetah54



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward Flirting, Awkwardness, Diary/Journal, Gen, Guilt, Light Angst, M/M, Mutual Pining, One Night Stands, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2018-12-09 06:19:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 31,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11663367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenCheetah54/pseuds/GoldenCheetah54
Summary: So I don't really know what I'm doing. I got bored so hey, I'll write a Skyrim fanfic. It's very work in progress, but I'm trying. It's not much to start with, but I'm working on it and I'll try to get a chapter up every week(ish). Maybe two weeks. I just wanted to try this out, but I'm taking it seriously. I'm open for suggestions on how to improve my writing or on where the story goes, but please keep it kindly worded. I hope you enjoy, and I'll try to upload new chapters consistently.





	1. In Memoriam

**Author's Note:**

> So I don't really know what I'm doing. I got bored so hey, I'll write a Skyrim fanfic. It's very work in progress, but I'm trying. It's not much to start with, but I'm working on it and I'll try to get a chapter up every week(ish). Maybe two weeks. I just wanted to try this out, but I'm taking it seriously. I'm open for suggestions on how to improve my writing or on where the story goes, but please keep it kindly worded. I hope you enjoy, and I'll try to upload new chapters consistently.

Before I begin writing about the events that occurred in these last few hours, I want to dedicate this journal to Leon. My sweet Leon. You taught me how to write properly, so it seems fitting I keep a journal in your honor. I’m still in shock over what happened over our first few steps into Skyrim. I guess I know why they call Skyrim unpredictable. Oh, gods, I miss you so much. 

 

18th of Last Seed, 4E 201  
I guess I should start with why I was venturing into Skyrim in the first place. Leon and I decided we wanted to enlist in the Imperial Legion in Skyrim together. We gathered our things, said our goodbyes, and left Cyrodiil. Our journey was largely uneventful between where we departed in Chorrol and the border with Skyrim. We were walking along, minding our own business, when a squad of Imperial soldiers ambushed us. They were attacking the group of people in front of us. We tried to stay out of the way but a stray arrow came out of nowhere. I thought it missed us but soon realized Leon had been hit. I carried him off to the side of the muddy road, trying to cause the least amount of pain possible. I was bent over him trying not to cry. He kept telling me to go, but I couldn’t. I knew his time was short. I just couldn’t leave him. I was holding him in my arms when he died. He told me he didn’t want to die in any other place. I was still cradling him when something hit me hard on the head.  
When I first came to after the ambush, I was riding in a carriage driven by an Imperial soldier. I was also accompanied by a few Nords. One of them, if I recall correctly, was Ulfric Stormcloak, the leader of the rebellion against the Empire and the Jarl of Windhelm. There also was a horse-thief whose name is escaping me, and Ralof, who was my savior through the whole endeavor. We entered a small village known as Helgen. There were a lot of Imperial soldiers for such a small village, but looking back, the occupation made sense considering that they’ve captured Ulfric Stormcloak.  
We stopped at the front of a tower and were offloaded. A young soldier began calling us forward, one by one. I realized we were going to be executed. The horse-thief realized this too and tried to run away, but was quickly struck down by Imperial arrows. I was the last to be called, as I was not on their list. Ralof made a remark about Imperials and their lists, and it was the first time I smiled since entering Skyrim. I thought I would never smile again after Leon died.  
The captain presiding over the executions told the caller to group me in with the rest of the rebels. The caller promised to have my head and subsequently headless body back to Orsinium. I also found small humor in this; I have no family in Orsinium, so I thought of a group of Imperials marching through some city with my decapitated corpse asking if they knew who I was but to no avail. My body would have decomposed by the time they found who I call my family. My adopted parents and their daughter, way back in Chorrol, are the only family I have. These Imperials would never assume that an Orc would live in a place like that.  
A priestess began giving us our last rights when a surprisingly eager Stormcloak soldier stepped forward and said something to the effects of getting it over with. I suppose I can’t blame him. The headsman did his duty. I was called up to the block next. As I made the walk over. A third humor struck me. I found it humorous that the Empire I set out to serve was going to execute me. Ironic, isn’t it?  
This is when things got a little chaotic. First, there was a loud noise as I approached the block. The soldiers disregarded it, which was their undoing. As I was staring at the headsman’s axe, an enormous, black, spiny dragon flew down and perched on the tower. I was knocked back and everything was blurry. Next thing I know, Ralof is over me, telling me to get up. Not having much choice I followed him. We ran to another tower where there were several Stormcloaks, including Stormcloak himself, hiding. Ralof and I ran up through the tower when we jumped onto a rooftop.  
I lost track of Ralof and was escorted by the caring yet naïve caller. The dragon landed on the very wall we were moving along, and I was nearly skewered by a long black talon. I found Ralof, who urged me to accompany him, however, the Imperial did the same. Considering how the Imperials were the ones who just tried to take my head off, I didn’t have the greatest trust of them at this time, so I sided with Ralof.  
We entered the keep, and I found a weapon, which seemed like a decent thing to have in the current situation. We pressed on. We had to kill Imperial troops, which I regretted at the time, but, again, they nearly executed me. Ralof and I snuck through a cave, which was inhabited by a bear, but we were able to dispatch it. After a few spiders, we made it out of Helgen.  
Ralof and I exited the cave and made it to a road. Soon after, the black dragon flew over our heads but did not spot us. Ralof suggested that we go down to a village called Riverwood and stay with his sister for a short time. The trek was largely uneventful, but I came across a mine that was guarded by a lone bandit. Notice I said was. I assumed there were more inside, but I didn’t feel like tackling more combat before I had eaten and slept. I’ll investigate tomorrow, perhaps.  
Gerdur (Ralof’s sister) allowed us to stay. I was thankful and surprised that a complete stranger would trust an Orc, let alone let me live with them. She shared some supplies with me and asked that I speak to a person named Jarl Balgruuf, in the town of Whiterun. I’ll depart soon, but there are a couple things near Riverwood that I’d like to do while I’m in town.  
My first order of business was to find the blacksmith. I hoped to acquire a new set of armor. While my Stormcloak armor has served me well, I felt like it painted an enormous target on my back. I found him quickly, as Riverwood isn’t exactly large. Being that I didn’t have much coin, I offered that I could do some work for him in exchange for armor. He liked this idea and asked me to smith a few things. He let me keep my creations, and allowed me to use his forge. I had acquired some pelts from the bear in Helgen and from a few wolves on the road. I made leather out of the pelts and was able to make a set of leather armor. I’ve always preferred lighter armors, but my size allows me to use heavy armors fairly well too. If I come across some, I might try it on. But for now, I am perfectly happy with the leathers that I made.  
A chance to test my armor revealed itself the next day. I found the general store and hoped to sell off some of the things I took from Helgen. When I entered, the shopkeep was arguing with his sister about some trinket that was stolen. I asked what happened and he explained. A golden claw, which is the aforementioned trinket, was stolen from their shop. He asked if I’d get it back, and offered to pay me. Considering I only had 100 gold at the time, I had little choice but to accept. I sold off some Imperial weapons, which gave me a bit more spending money, so I bought some cheap supplies. I was about to leave when I spotted this journal, and an idea hit me. I paid an extra 5 gold for the journal, but it is and will be worth it to honor Leon. I guess I set off for adventure, and I guess this is what adventure feels like.  
Arkosh  
I went back to write all that in Gerdur’s house and eat breakfast, as it occurred to me I forgot when I woke up. When I got back to town, the sister of the shopkeep, Camilla, a young Imperial, offered to guide me to where the thieves were hiding. She only was allowed to the edge of town, but I managed to find a trail.  
I trekked up said trail and found an old tower on a freezing and snowy mountain. There were a few bandits camped out there, but I dispatched them easily. One of them had a full set of iron armor! I thought this was a lucky find. I’ll hang on to it for now; maybe I’ll try it on for my next adventure. I’m going to put this away until after I find this claw.  
Arkosh  
I decided I couldn’t take another second longer in the cold if I could avoid it, so I’m writing this in the lovely warmth of Gerdur’s house. My trek into the mountains was full of surprises. After I got to the hideout, Bleak Falls Barrow, I took out the guards at the door and made my way in. The bandits inside seemed unaware of my presence, so I thought it best to be stealthy. I managed to take down most of the bandits without being seen. This gave me flashbacks to my time as an orphan in Cyrodiil, how I needed to be sneaky and a good thief to pay for my next meal. I suppose having that particular skill set can come in handy, but I haven’t done that in a long time, so I’m very out of practice.  
I came into a large chamber where there was a Dunmer trapped in spider’s web, begging me to cut him down. But first, I needed to slay the biggest spider I have ever been unlucky enough to lay eyes on. That was by far my most challenging battle in Skyrim so far. I sustained some fairly serious wounds that I needed to address quickly. I was about to use a health potion, but I remembered being taught a basic healing spell. I decided to use the spell, and it worked perfectly. I also remembered about my flames spell, which also came in handy.  
The Dunmer claimed he had the golden claw, but he said I would need to cut him down first. This was a mistake on both of our parts. As soon as he was down, he tried to run away. There was a brief chase before I cut him down and retrieved the claw. Deeper into the crypt, I came across what appeared to be a burial chamber. I heard something move, and I turned around to see a wrinkled corpse behind me. It made me jump to see it appear out of nowhere, but I recovered and re-killed it and its friends. I believe I remember reading about Nord crypts filled with walking corpses called Draugr. I never expected to actually meet one.  
Soon, I came to a strange door. There were three wheels, each with different symbols, and a slot for some type of key. Upon closer inspection, I realized the key was the claw. The symbols on the door matched up to some on the claw. Soon, I opened the door. I stepped inside the tomb and was smacked in the face by a bat. I stumbled and was glad no one else was here because I felt like an oaf.  
Anyway, there was a large wall with strange writing on it. I went to investigate, as I felt a strange power emanating from the wall. When I got within a few feet, my vision blurred and blue streaks went flying by. I had no idea what was happening and, I still don’t know. After my vision returned to normal, I felt...odd. It was a very...powerful experience. Afterward, I felt like I found a new piece of me, but I can’t describe it.  
A sarcophagus burst open as soon as I turned around and I was startled again. Let’s just say my adventurer side hasn’t fully developed yet. The Draugr that emerged was much more challenging than its cohorts, but I slew it nonetheless. The loot I found on it was fairly good, including an enchanted sword. There was also a curious stone, which I decided to take if I found someone who might be willing to buy it. This looked like the end of the crypt. I began searching for an exit. I found one and hiked back to Riverwood. I’ll give Camilla her brother’s claw back tomorrow after I’ve eaten and had a few bottles of mead at the inn.  
Arkosh  
After a bottle or five of mead, I decided to head home. Being that I wasn’t entirely coherent, I overshot the alley that leads to Gerdur’s house and ended up in front of the blacksmith’s forge. I realized this and was about to head back when I spotted some steel ingots lying about. No one was around. I went over and almost stole them. I had next to nothing, and I could use a little boost. But I swore once I was adopted that I would never steal again. I’ve kept my promise, and I didn’t want to start now. Especially when I was drunk. I’m a little surprised I was able to even write this entry without saying something stupid.  
Arkosh

19th of Last Seed, 4E 201  
I woke up unusually early today, especially considering I was hungover. I couldn’t fall back asleep, so I elected to take a swim in the river. I felt really dirty from the past few days of adventuring (I hate that feeling), and I thought to be in cold water might ease my hangover. On the way to a calm spot, I passed the blacksmith’s again. The steel was still there, and I was the only one awake in Riverwood. It pains me to say this, but I stole the ingots. I have very little right now, so I need every edge I can get. I want to say this is an isolated incident, but I doubt that. I’m going to that calm spot in the river now.  
Arkosh  
That water is really fucking cold.  
Arkosh  
After my bath, I came across a Wood Elf by the name of Faendal. He was complaining to me about a guy named Sven. He asked me to deliver a fake letter to his crush Camilla, in an attempt to dissuade her from pursuing Sven. I thought this whole thing was childish, so I told Sven about the letter. In turn, he gave me a letter to give to Camilla about how terrible Faendal allegedly is. I delivered the newest letter to Camilla, but I told her it was fake. She was pleased that I told the truth, but I don’t think she will side with either man.  
I gave her brother his claw back, and I was rewarded with a few hundred gold. I sold some of the other loot, but while I was doing so, I felt Camilla's gaze on me. I wasn’t uncomfortable, but I noticed something different in her gaze after I’ve helped her. I’m probably overthinking it like I normally do.  
I want to investigate the mine up the road a ways before I set out for Whiterun. I’ll write about it when I return.  
Arkosh  
The mine was not a challenge, but there was plenty of loot. I thought this would be a good test of my iron armor. It was. There were plenty of bandits inside. I cleared it out without too much challenge. I came across a different type of iron armor which was better than the set I was currently wearing. I found a small stash of gems and gold too, which will give me a healthy amount for...whatever I need to buy. When I got back to Riverwood, I decided to make some armor from the steel I… “borrowed”. It came out well. I’ve acquired enough gold to buy the materials I need to make the other pieces. Even though I just got a new set of heavy armor, I think I still like light armor better. I’ll continue to experiment with both types.  
Arkosh  
I decided to head back to Gerdur’s house. I wished to leave for Whiterun tomorrow, so I wished to do something nice for them. When Gerdur and her husband got back, I said I would cook supper for them. They appreciated the gesture and let me use their ingredients. My father was a cook, so he taught me everything he knew. Everyone said he was a good cook, and when I helped at the inn he worked at everyone said I was also a good cook. Anyway, I set about peeling potatoes and preparing the rabbit I wanted to cook, among other things. When I had finished, I had made quite a bit of food.  
My hosts enjoyed the feast very much. We shared quite a few bottles of wine and had quite a few stories to share. It was a great night. I felt a little sad about leaving the next day. I must return soon. It’s going to be a long walk to Whiterun, so I’m calling it good here.  
Arkosh

20th of Last Seed, 4E 201  
I want to get an early start on my trip to Whiterun, so I’m keeping this brief. I say goodbye to everyone, and they are a little sad to see me go, but understand the importance of my task. I offered to leave some gold as a token of my thanks, but they refused. I don’t have any other business in Riverwood, so I’ll take my leave. I hope to come back here soon.  
Arkosh  
I ran into some pretentious assholes known as “Thalmor”. They were escorting a prisoner. When I asked what they were doing, they accused me of being a heretic by worshiping Talos. I’ve never had strong beliefs in the Divines, but I don’t consider Talos to be a deity. They assaulted me, but I was able to dispatch them without much challenge. I freed the prisoner, who promptly ran away. Whiterun is in sight. I’ll pick this up later.  
Arkosh  
This entry is a little all over the place but bear with me. First, I saw the Thalmor’s prisoner being attacked by a wolf. I rushed over to help, but he had beaten the wolf with his bare hands. If one thing is to be said about Nords, it’s that they sure are strong.  
Next, I saw a bandit camp outside a cave. The guards attacked me, but considering how I’m writing about this now, you can imagine the result. I want to investigate, but some other time. I’ve marked it on my map.  
Third, a trio of Nords was attacking a giant, which I thought was bold. By the time I was on the scene, they had killed the giant. One of them Nords, a strong, redheaded woman approached me and complained about how I didn’t help. She introduced her group as the Companions. I expressed interest in their order, but she referred me to their leader, who happened to be in Whiterun. I’ll check it out after I talk to the Jarl. One of the Companions, a handsome, well built man with long, dark hair approached me and directly told me to join, which only further developed my interest in joining. I have a bit of a thing for men with long hair. Anyway, off to see the Jarl.  
Arkosh  
As I entered the city, I stopped by the blacksmith to sell the Thalmor armor I “acquired” recently. I sold it for a decent price. As I was leaving, she asked me to deliver a sword to her father, who is the steward for the Jarl. It was a gift for the Jarl, apparently. I accepted. I always like lending a hand when I can, and I was headed up to the Jarl’s palace anyway. Maybe I’ll actually get to him now.  
Arkosh  
I finally made it to the Jarl. He agreed to send troops to Riverwood, which was my main goal coming here, so mission accomplished. But, as I expected, there was more to do. As always. The Jarl told me to meet with his court wizard Farengar. He needed me to find a stone tablet in Bleak Falls Barrow. I showed him the tablet I found in search of the shopkeeper's claw. That was the stone, which was very convenient.  
I just finished my business with the wizard when another servant of the Jarl’s (a slim Dunmer woman, whose name is Irileth. She is the Jarl’s Housecarl, something of a mix between a bodyguard and a military officer) ran into the room, shouting about a dragon that’s been sighted nearby. The Jarl dispatched her and some guards to prepare for a fight at a nearby watchtower. He also requested that I partake in the battle. I didn’t want to, but who am I to refuse a Jarl? I’ll write about the battle when I return to the city. Assuming I survive, of course.  
Arkosh  
Where to start? I guess with the fight. It was challenging, for sure. The dragon was constantly flying around. It only landed a few times, but not for very long. At least my bow-arm got some good practice. Once, it landed near me. I had to quickly take out my axe and move out of the way of a gout of fire coming from the dragon’s mouth. I don’t know what came over me, but I decided to jump on the dragon’s head. I was able to kill it that way, so I guess it wasn’t my worst idea. I still can’t believe I killed a dragon!  
I dismounted the dragon’s corpse. Not a moment too soon, either. The dragon’s flesh started to burn away, leaving only a charred skeleton. Then the strangest thing happened. A flurry of bright white lights started entering me. I felt like I was burning, but it wasn’t painful. I’m not sure if I can use words to describe the sensation. The guards called me “Dragonborn”, but Irileth was skeptical. They told me to Shout. I didn’t know what they meant, but I felt this word seared in my head. “Fus”. I only noticed it after I killed the dragon. It was worth a shot. I shouted the word, and the guards stumbled back! It was the strangest thing.  
I was told to report to the Jarl. Again. But before I left, I looked through the remains of the dragon. I found some scales and small bones as well as many arrows. I took all that I could carry and then some, hoping I could get good coin for the remains. Let’s say the walk back to Whiterun was slow and uncomfortable. When I was near Whiterun, there was a shout. It was incredibly loud.  
Upon entering the city, there were two Redguard warriors, who said they were Alik’r. They asked me to find them in a village called Rorikstead if I had any information on a Redguard woman in Whiterun. I’ll keep my eyes open.  
The Jarl was speaking to his council about the thundering noise. He told me it was from the Greybeards, at the Throat of the World. I was to climb the 7,000 Steps (More walking. Huzzah) and meet with them. They could teach me about these Shouts, or Thu’ums, as the Jarl called it. He also made me Thane of Whiterun. He gave me an enchanted war axe as my “badge of office,” and a Housecarl of my own. Lydia is her name.  
I think the Greybeards can wait a little while because I am very tired, and I want to sell off as much of the dragon’s remains as I can.  
Arkosh  
I stopped by the inn, The Bannered Mare, to get a room. When I entered, there was a small girl begging at the door. She asked for a septim, and I gladly gave her one. I asked why she was begging, and she said her mother died and her aunt and uncle threw her out. I’ve always had a soft spot for kids, especially orphans because I know the struggles they have to live through. I thought about adopting her, but I don’t even have a place to live yet. I’m not even sure if I want kids. Before I can even consider having children, I want to have a house and a husband, or at least some man in my life.  
While I was eating, a Redguard woman, Saadia, approached me, asking if I wanted anything more to drink. I, in turn, informed her of the Alik’r in the city. She seemed surprised and pulled me into a private room. Saadia told me that she was a noble from Hammerfell, and the Alik’r wanted her for treason. I said I’d think about helping her and I will, but I’m more inclined to help the Alik’r. I need to sleep on it. Which I intend to do quite soon.  
Arkosh

21st of Last Seed, 4E 201  
I awoke feeling very well rested for the first time in Skyrim. Whether it was the ale or my accomplishments I don’t know. I’m not tired so I won’t complain.  
Arkosh  
The Greybeards can wait another day, can’t they? I’ve been given a great many tasks recently, as well as my own errands. The general store was just outside the inn, so I sold off most of the dragon remains. On my way out I saw a charming woman by the name Ysolda. We got to talking, and she’s an aspiring merchant. She asked if I could bring her a mammoth tusk. I accepted the offer. I stopped at some of the stalls selling various goods. The woman running a vegetable stand was complaining about a man courting her, and naturally, she asked if I might be able to talk to him. Naturally, I said yes.  
Mikael, the bard at The Bannered Mare, was the suitor I needed to talk to. I was able to persuade him to leave the woman alone. On my way, Mikael gave me some parting advice. He told me “Women love sonnets.” I turned around and said, “I can’t write sonnets, so it’s a good thing I don’t like women.” I’ll cherish his shocked expression for quite a while, I think.  
Anyway, back to my menial tasks. I told the shopkeeper her problem is taken care of, and she paid me. Next on the list is to talk to the leader of the Companions. As soon as I walked in, a fight broke out. I tried to get by without getting punched. I found the leader, Kodlak, and asked about admission. He seems to like me. His company, Vilkas, another handsome, long-haired Nord who bears a striking resemblance to the man I saw fighting the giant (brothers, perhaps) took me out to train. It went well. Vilkas seemed impressed. For my next task, he told me to take his sword to Eorlund Grey-Mane, the Companions’ blacksmith. I guess I’m their official errand-boy now. Speaking of, Eorlund told me to bring a shield to Aela, who was the woman who approached me after the battle with the giant. She was pleased. Farkas, the handsome Nord from the giant excursion, showed me to my quarters. It’s where the “whelps” sleep. Farkas also gave me ANOTHER errand for me to do. He asked me to clear out some bandits from a ruin. Looks like the Greybeards will have to wait another day. Anyways, I think my business in Jorrvaskr is done. Off to do something else.  
Arkosh  
One of my tasks was to speak to a priestess about the big tree in the center of Whiterun. The priestess said the Gildergreen was dormant, and I need to retrieve a weapon that can get sap from the parent tree, the Eldergleam, to revive the Gildergreen. Seems like a lot of fuss for an overgrown fern, but I’m happy to help. Now off to the court-wizard to sell some mage robes. I could use some company. I’ll ask Lydia to come with me in my adventures.  
Arkosh  
On second thought, I think I’ll go out tomorrow. It’s getting late and I could use a hot meal, some ale, and sleep.  
Arkosh  
Yay. More tasks from the helpless citizens of Whiterun. This time, I’m supposed to find a man named Amren’s family sword. Fine. I guess. I hope the Greybeards don’t mind waiting.  
Arkosh.

22nd of Last Seed, 4E 201  
I feel well rested again, which is a pleasant surprise. First on my list is breakfast. At least the inns have decent food. Second on my list is a bounty from the Jarl. I’m supposed to kill the leader of some bandit camp. Hopefully some easy coin. I think I’ll use my leathers for this outing instead of steel. There is going to be a lot of walking.  
Arkosh  
The sun rises sure are beautiful here in Skyrim.  
Arkosh  
I ran into a Khajiit caravan on my way to the bandit camp. I sold off the rest of the dragon remains. I felt a twinge of guilt or regret (I’m not sure which) but I decided to steal some of the gold and jewels they had. I feel bad, but my skills are coming back.  
Arkosh  
This was a productive afternoon. I’ll start with the goods. I have a dog! Or, maybe. A stray dog approached me and Lydia during a battle and started attacking the enemy for us. When we finished, the dog came back and followed us. I told it to go home, mostly because I didn’t want him to be hurt. I hope I can find him.  
Next, I ticked two things off of my agenda. One, I satisfied the Jarl’s bounty. Two, I found a mammoth tusk for Ysolda. A camp of bandits had several, in fact. I’m glad I didn’t have to take on a mammoth. Third, Lydia and I found quite a few enchanted swords. I think I’ll be able to sell them for quite a fair price.  
Finally, I’ve read some spell tomes. I’ve always been intrigued by magic. I need to use it in combat more. I hope I can train my body to deal with more spells for longer.  
Now, onto the bad and strange. First, I’m not very good at hunting. I saw many deer and elk on my journey today, but I never bagged any. This made me want to practice with my bow more, which I did. I’ve been getting more comfortable with it, which is nice. The next bad thing is I was assaulted by a gang of thugs. They just came and started attacking me. Lydia and I defeated them, but it was odd. Their contract was from a Whiterun Guard, saying I had stolen from him. I guess it’s good to know my actions do carry consequences.  
I’m heading back to Whiterun now to claim the bounty and give Ysolda her tusk.  
Arkosh  
Skyrim never ceases to puzzle me. I was hunting a deer (I didn’t get it, by the way), and I came across a farm while I was chasing it. There was a broken wagon on the road, so I stopped to investigate. And there was the damnedest thing. A jester! A fucking jester! The man, Cicero, was also a little mad, but I guess that added to the weirdness. He was transporting a large, wooden crate. He claimed it was his mother’s coffin, but I was a little skeptical myself. Anyway, he said he’d pay me if I convinced the local farmer to help him. Considering how that seems to be my official job these days, I asked the farmer. He took some persuading, but eventually agreed. Cicero paid me well. I’ll take my leave and go to Whiterun finally.  
Arkosh  
The sunsets in Skyrim are also quite gorgeous.  
Arkosh  
I was just attacked by a Dark Brotherhood Assassin. How curious.  
Arkosh  
I finally scored my first deer!  
Arkosh  
I just received a letter from the Jarl of Falkreath saying I can become Thane if I do something for him. The letter also said there is land available if I get the title. I’ll consider it.  
Arkosh  
I made it back to Whiterun before it got too dark. I decided to sleep in Jorrvaskr instead of the inn., which is where I am now. I saw Ysolda on my way and gave her the mammoth tusk. In return, she taught me about bartering and how to get a better deal. I hope here lesson works. I’ve sent Lydia back to Dragonsreach for the night. I’ll go out again tomorrow to finish more tasks.  
Arkosh  
I can’t sleep. I feel lonely. The only real friend I have so far is Lydia, but that’s because it’s her job. I guess I want someone I can just be close with. Physically and emotionally. I guess what I’m saying is I need a man in my life. I’ve seen plenty of attractive guys, but starting conversations isn’t exactly my specialty. Maybe I’ll talk to Farkas or Vilkas or this cute Dunmer Athis. I don’t know. I just need to de-stress. I’m going to go find a quiet place to...blow off steam.  
Arkosh  
I found a quiet place behind the Skyforge. I have the feeling I’ll be heading up there a lot. I feel mildly better. I guess I’ll try sleeping now.  
Arkosh

23rd of Last Seed, 4E 201  
I actually slept last night. I guess my methods work. I had a heaping breakfast and tried to socialize with the Companions. They’re nice enough, but don’t really seem that intent on keeping our conversations. The only one who doesn’t do that is Farkas. We talked for most of breakfast. He’s nice. I would rather take him with me instead of Lydia, but every time I ask he doesn’t answer, which is odd. Maybe it means he likes me but is too shy to start anything. More likely is that he can’t because he’s my superior and I’m overthinking this stupid little detail. I hate it when I do that.  
I tried to head out, but when I got out of my chair I nearly fell over. Lucky for me, my hero Farkas was there to catch me.  
“Are you alright?” he asked, grabbing my shoulder to keep me upright.  
“I feel okay. Maybe a little sick,” I lied. I felt very sick, but I was too proud to accept his concern. I secretly want it though.  
“You look pretty sick. Head over to the Shrine of Talos, and touch it. You’ll feel better. It always helps me. C’mon, I’ll show you,” he said as he took my hand. He nearly ripped my arm out, but his touch felt nice. He guided me to the shrine. I touched it and miraculously felt better.  
“Thanks, Farkas,” I said in disbelief.  
“No problem. That’s the best part about the Companions,” he said with his deep voice as he put a large hand on my shoulder. “We take care of each other.” He held his hand on my shoulder for a bit longer than what I consider to be “just friendly” (but there I go over-thinking everything again. It will be the death of either me or my dignity one of these days) and gave a light squeeze. I think I blushed a little.  
Arkosh  
I’ve been sitting near the Gildergreen for an hour now, writing and replaying that scene over and over again. I need to focus. I have things to do (like Farkas). Why did I write that? I’m a grown man. I shouldn’t feel this way. But, here I am, in all of my immature glory. I need to get moving. I have money to make.  
Arkosh  
I’m writing this next entry from the warmth of my own home! I bought a house! It cost me 5000 gold (excluding furnishings, but I bought those too), but it was well worth it. I finally have my own bed and a safe spot to put my things. I still have over 2000 gold, which sure feels nice. I’ll take an hour or two to settle in and organize my things, then I’ll set off. I think I’ll go get Amren’s sword.  
Arkosh  
I was just attacked by a squad of Thalmor. One of them had a note saying I was dangerous and a threat to the Aldmeri Dominion. This makes me hate the bastards even more, but at least I got more of their fancy armor!  
Arkosh  
I found a Stormcloak camp in some hills near Whiterun. Their quartermaster allowed me to borrow one of their horses, which is nice. I might buy one upon my return to the city.  
Arkosh  
I was able to kill a deer while riding my horse! I guess my bow arm is getting better.  
Arkosh  
I’m writing this atop one of the towers where we found Amren’s sword. The fighting was easy; we had to fight only four or five bandits. I found the sword easily, as well as a few trinkets that’ll fetch good coin. It’s beginning to get late. I think Lydia wants to sleep here and I concur. We’ll walk back to Whiterun tomorrow.  
Arkosh

24th of Last Seed, 4E 201  
We woke and ate a cold breakfast. We just finished our food when I had an idea. I began to take off my clothes.  
“With all due respect, but what are you doing, my Thane?” Lydia asked as I removed my last piece of clothing.  
“I’m going for a swim,” I said, looking over the edge of the tower. “Care to join me?” I asked, sticking my arm out as an invitation.  
“I don’t care much for swimming, my Thane, and I can’t recommend that you jump from here.”  
“I appreciate your formality, but you can drop this whole ‘my Thane’ bullshit. I get it’s your job, but I really don’t care what you call me or if you use my title. I want us to be friends and have a good relationship. Not some master/servant thing. Call me Arkosh.”  
“Okay...Arkosh,” Lydia said, almost defeatedly.  
“Thank you. Now, where was I? Oh, I remember,” I said as I jumped off the tower. It was a fairly long drop, but it didn’t feel like it. I landed in the water safely.  
“I’m all right, Lydia,” I called up to the tower.  
“Glad to hear it my Th...Arkosh,” she shouted back down to me. I dunked my head under and undid my hair.  
“Do you mind if I bathe, Lydia?” I asked. I haven’t cleaned myself since I left Riverwood and I felt thoroughly disgusting.  
“I don’t. I’ll try not to look,” she said, turning around.  
“I don’t care about that. Hell, you could join me if you wanted to.”  
“I don’t think so. We barely know each other and you just said you wanted to be friends and-”  
“What? Whoa whoa whoa! You thought I was inviting you to have a bath because you thought I want sex?”  
“Well...yeah.”  
“I guess I should have mentioned this earlier, but I don’t do girls. I was just offering. I have some fancy perfumed soaps in my bag somewhere too. I just thought bathing would be a nice way to relax. That’s all.”  
“Oh!” Lydia said, turning a deep shade of red. I imagined I wasn’t any better. “Forgive me, I-I didn’t mean to be rude! I-” Lydia stammered, obviously embarrassed. She waited a few moments as she collected herself. “That sounds lovely, actually.”  
“Good. I have a bar of juniper berry soap and a bar of lavender soap. Take your pick. I’ll have the other.” She fished out a purple bar and tossed me the light blue one (I take my cleanliness very seriously). I turned as she disrobed and waited until I heard her enter.  
“See, this isn’t so bad, is it?” I asked, floating on my back.  
“This feels really nice actually,” she sighed with great content. I began working a lather of soap on my hands. Lydia submerged herself and did the same when she came up. I started washing myself as did Lydia.  
We spent almost an hour scrubbing away the dirt, sweat, and blood from the last few days. We talked too. About ourselves, our pasts, our futures, the men in our lives. It was a good bonding moment, as friends. Lydia is actually a really sweet person beneath all of that armor, both literal and figurative.  
She grew up as an orphan in Falkreath, hunting constantly, trying to scrape by. She was trying to get enough food for an orphaned boy too, and they became good friends. They found a band of mercenaries and joined as archers, but quickly learned quality swordsmanship as well. Her band was doing a task for the Jarl of Whiterun when the boy asked to be together. She left her mercenary friends for him. They got together, and had a few good years, but he died fighting for the Stormcloaks. It really skewed her view on the war, and broke her heart. That’s when the Jarl asked her to serve for him.  
“And then I met you,” she said. “What about you?”  
I told her about my life, from being a thieving orphan in Cyrodiil to being adopted. I talked about my upbringing, about how my dad showed me how to cook, how my mom trained me to be the best soldier I could be. I talked about how my adopted sister would stand up for me when the other kids teased me because I was an Orc. I explained how I met Leon and how we got together (I would write about it but his loss is still fresh. I don’t want my tears smudging the ink. Maybe I’ll write it some other time.) I talked about why I came to Skyrim, and all my (mis)adventures leading up to this point.  
“And then I met you,” I finished. “I think it’s time we get going.” I started swimming to shore. I started rummaging in my bag for some towels. Lydia also emerged and I handed her a towel. We dried off, got dressed, and hit the road.  
“Arkosh?” Lydia asked.  
“Yeah?”  
“Thanks.”  
“Anytime, Lydia.”  
Arkosh


	2. Dragonborn

25th of Last Seed, 4E 201

Lydia and I decided to take yesterday off. After our bath episode, we felt like some more time to unwind would help. Lydia went off to take care of her business and I set about my own. I gave Amren his sword back, and he taught me some skills in swordplay. I also sold the goods I’ve looted, and have quite a healthy purse full of gold. I met an Orc who asked me to join the Dawnguard, a league of vampire hunters. I expressed interest, and he showed me where their fort was. If I travel to Riften, I might sign up.

I took Lydia out to a proper, hot meal at the Bannered Mare. We shared some ale and got a bit tipsy, but we had a really fun night. I think. I can’t remember all of last night. Okay, maybe a bit more than tipsy. Anyway, we’re going to clear out some rogue warlocks for Farkas. And maybe if there is time, we’ll head over to Rorikstead and speak to the Alik’r about Saadia.

Arkosh

I just killed my second dragon! The same rush of power engulfed me, and the dragon’s skin burned away like last time. I guess I truly am Dragonborn. Lydia and I are outside the warlocks’ hideout. We’ll start after a quick lunch break.

Arkosh

This was not what I expected. Instead of bandits or rogue wizards, there were ghosts. However, they didn’t want to attack. They said so before they attacked us. My guess is that it had something to do with the warlock. Anyway, it was going well until I sensed something. It was a similar feeling to my experience in Bleak Falls Barrow. As I approached the wall, a trap door opened and Lydia and I fell into a cage. 

The warlock was there. He never explained why he captured us, but I’m guessing he wanted our ghosts to fight for him. While his back was turned, I managed to steal his key to our cage. I guess those skills do come in handy. We dealt with him quickly. I wanted to investigate the wall again.

Turns out, it was the same thing as Bleak Falls Barrow. I felt the word inside me, but I’m not sure what it is or what it does. Anyway, Lydia and I made it back to the surface safely. According to my map, Rorikstead is closer than Whiterun, so we’ll spend the night there and maybe talk to the Alik’r about Saadia. I’ll think about it on the walk there.

Arkosh

We’ve made it to Rorikstead well before dark. I paid for a hot supper. We had plenty of food, but when has eating something cold ever tasted good? I asked if the innkeeper had heard any rumors, and he said a boy, Aventus Aretino, was trying to contact the Dark Brotherhood. It was a stretch, but it could have something to do with my assassination attempt. If I’m in Windhelm I’ll investigate. Also, I’ve decided to turn Saadia into the Alik’r. I told the agent, and he requested that I lead her out to Whiterun’s stables. I’ll do that when we get back.

I decided to chat up one of the farmers, Erik. He’s good-looking, strong, young (about my age), and has nice auburn hair. He wants to be an adventurer, but his father won’t let him and they don’t have the money to pay for new armor. He’s nice, and I have some extra gold. I told his father I’d buy his armor. 

When I broke the news, Erik jumped out of his seat and pulled me into a hug. I could tell he’d been drinking, but he didn’t seem very drunk.

“C’mon handsome,” he said, taking my hand “Let’s get out of here.” Before I could say anything, he was dragging me out the door.

We arrived at the barn. He just pulled me through the door when he kissed me. I wasn’t expecting that. He pulled away when I didn’t kiss back.

“What’s wrong, big guy? Don’t want to have some fun?” he asked, but it sounded almost like he was begging. 

“I do, but we barely know each other,” I said. I hadn’t done this for a while, and the loneliness that was creeping in was feeling more desperate.

“I can fix that,” he said, sticking out his hand for a shake. “Greetings traveler. I’m Erik. What’s your name?”

I gave in. I shook his hand. “Arkosh,” I said.

“See? We know each other. Now, won’t you fuck me?”

It was my turn to pull him into a kiss. We broke apart, and started undoing each other’s straps. It took me a lot longer to strip; I still had my armor on. Eventually, our clothes were in piles on the ground. We got down to business.

Arkosh

  


26th of Last Seed, 4E 201

I woke up first. I was lying on my back. Erik’s head was resting on my chest. He was still sleeping, his arm across my waist, and my arm on his shoulder. I’m not going to lie, I had fun and it felt great despite my initial concerns. I must have stirred too much because Erik woke up.

“Morning, handsome,” he said with a kiss.

“Good morning, Erik.”

“Thank you for last night, Arkosh. I know I just pulled you away out of the blue, but you did a great service to me. I guess I wanted to repay you and this seemed like a decent way. Also, I’ve always wanted to sleep with an Orc.”

“Well, you got your wish. Was it what you expected?”

“So much better,” Erik said, absentmindedly stroking the thick hair on my chest. “Did you have fun?”

“Yeah,” I admitted. “I did. You didn’t need to do anything for me. I gave you the gold as a gift. You don’t need repayment for a gift.”

“Okay, good point. I guess a more accurate reason is I was drunk and lonely. Plus, you’ve been the only attractive man to pass through Rorikstead in the past month.” I chuckled at that.

“Do you want to go again? This time I want you to fuck me,” I said, looking down at him. I’ve committed, so I figured I might as well enjoy it.

“You sure? I’ve never tried it that way before.”

“There’s a first time for everything,” I said as positioned Erik on top of me. 

“Sure. I’ll try it.” We settled in for another (literal) roll in the hay.

  


⬢   ⬢   ⬢

  


We decided that would be our last time. We got dressed in silence. We were heading for the door.

“Hey, Arkosh,” Erik said, looking at me.

“Yeah?” I said, turning to look at him.

“Thank you,” he said as he pulled me in for one last kiss. It wasn’t sexual. It was more than that. True affection. We stayed there for quite a few moments before he pulled away. “I hope you come back soon.”

“Send me a letter when you get your armor, and we can go kill some bandits together.”

“Sounds great. And they say romance is dead.” We exited the barn without any more interruptions.

I found Lydia eating in the inn. I bought some of my own food and sat next to her.

“I’m sorry about last night. He-”

“It’s alright. I’m glad you had fun. You did have fun, right?” She asked.

“Yeah. I did. I usually like a little more relationship with my fuck, but I’ve been known to make exceptions.”

“That’s my next question. Are you two dating or what?”

“I don’t know. I hadn’t considered that. I doubt it.” I thought for a few moments before delivering my final answer. “No. We aren’t and we won’t.” Lydia pondered this as she chewed her bread. I started on my own breakfast. We waited in awkward silence until Lydia spoke.

“What’s on the agenda for today?”

“Mostly business in Whiterun. Since we’re getting such a late start, we probably shouldn’t travel too far.”

“Lest you seduce some helpless farm-boy again,” Lydia said with a smile as she elbowed me in the ribs.

“That is a distinct possibility, I suppose. Let’s get moving.”

Arkosh

On our way out of the inn, there was a bounty posted on the door. It’s on the way back to Whiterun, so we might as well complete it.

Arkosh

We didn’t complete the bounty. There was bound to be good loot, but we could barely carry anymore weight. We’ll go back out tomorrow. I led Saadia to the stables, as per the Alik’r’s request. They cast a paralyzation spell on her. I felt a little guilty, but I knew it would pass. My next errand was to tell Farkas the warlock had been dealt with. I sent Lydia back to my house. 

Farkas was pleased with my work, and he paid me. I asked for another job from him, but he referred me to Skjor. He said my time has come (I found this both vague and alarming). He tasked me with finding a piece of Wuuthrad, the axe that Ysgramor wielded with the first 500 Companions. Skjor said this was my trial. If I succeeded, I would officially be a Companion. And (as luck would have it) he said Farkas would accompany me as my Shield-Brother. 

We ate together and discussed the task. He said it should be relatively easy considering our combined strength. After we exhausted that topic, we moved on to more social things. Where we’re from and so on. He’s been in the Companions all of his life with his brother Vilkas. The other members tease him because he isn’t the smartest, but he doesn’t mind. Things were going really well. We decided to call it a night relatively early, as we had an important task and a long walk ahead of us tomorrow.

Arkosh

  


27th of Last Seed, 4E 201

I can’t sleep again. It’s really late. Or early, depending on who you ask. I’m feeling those urges again, but I don’t want to indulge myself, especially considering what happened yesterday. Why do I always feel like this after I meet with Farkas? 

I’m lonely. That’s it. Yes, he’s attractive, and I find him interesting; that doesn’t and shouldn’t warrant these feelings I have for him. The worst part is that he almost certainly doesn’t feel the same way. There’s no way in Oblivion I’m telling him. Not yet anyway. Fuck it. I can’t sleep and thinking about Farkas hasn’t helped things. I need to go up to the Skyforge again.

Arkosh

My methods may be questionable, but I fell asleep soon after I got back from the Skyforge. 

Arkosh

I woke up and headed up to the main hall to eat breakfast and wait for Farkas. To my surprise, he was already up.

“Morning, Farkas. Didn’t sleep well?” I asked, reaching for the kettle to make some tea.

“I never sleep very well. I try, but it rarely works. Can you make me tea also?” Farkas said, handing me a mug.

“I’d be happy to.”

“Did you sleep well?” Farkas asked, watching me as I poured the water.

“Eh. It took me a while to sleep, but I slept well after that,” I answered as I put the tea leaves in the mugs.

“I thought I heard you get up early in the morning. What was that all about?”

Shit. He’s on to me, I thought as I overfilled my cup. I burned my hand with the boiling water, but I managed to suppress my cry.

“Are you okay?” Farkas asked as he got up to help me. He held up my hand and inspected the damage. “That looks bad. Let me get a salve or...something.”

“Farkas, you don’t need to do that. I know a healing spell.” I cast the spell with my burned hand. It really hurt, but the blisters went away, and my skin returned to its normal dull green color.

“How’d you do that?” Farkas asked, bewildered.

“Oh, it’s not hard. Just a simple healing spell. I can get you the tome for it if you’d like.”

“I’ve never been able to do magic. I always was interested in it though.”

I chuckled because I went through a similar phase. “I was just like you when I was younger, head full of fantasies of being a wizard or something like that. It’s not too hard to learn if you start with basic spells. Let’s go see the court wizard when we get back.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. It’s no big deal.”

“Okay,” Farkas said after a brief pause. “Why did you get out of bed so late?”

“How do you know it was me?” I asked, trying to keep my composure.

“I know your footfall.”

“I’m not sure if that’s creepy or sweet.”

“You think that’s sweet?”

“I think you’re sweet,” I said quickly and quietly, but Farkas still picked it up.

“You...think I’m...sweet?”

“What? Uh, I said…uh...I said that the tea is sweet. Ha ha! Yes! That is what I said,” I said unconvincingly. I felt the heat rise in my face. I tried to smile and look confident, but I failed miserably.

“Okay. Sure,” Farkas said. “Let’s, uh... eat food.”

“Great idea, Farkas,” I said, piling my plate with food, hoping this mess would go away and he wouldn’t ask what I was doing again. We ate our fill and set out. Or, rather, we ate and Farkas waited patiently for me to finish this entry.

Arkosh

We left Whiterun eventually. It was still reasonably early when we left. I asked Farkas if he was willing to help me complete the Jarl’s bounty. He said he would help out. We’re about to arrive at their hideout.

Arkosh

It went about as I expected. We got the drop on them. I was able to take most of them out with my bow, and the ones I didn’t Farkas took care of. We make a good team. Off to find the fragment of Wuuthrad.

Arkosh

Well, this was an interesting adventure. Everything went reasonably well, all things considered; we got the fragment. Entering the crypt was easy. Nothing Farkas and I couldn’t handle. Then we got to a large hall with a closed gate. I found the lever easily, but when I pulled it, another gate sealed off the room I just entered. I felt foolish, but my knight in (actual) shining armor went to find the release for my cage.

Before he could do that, a group of bandits emerged from the next room. They circled Farkas, and I was worried if he’d be able to take them all on. I drew my bow, hoping I could get a shot, but I couldn’t aim through the bars. I couldn’t risk hitting Farkas. I tried the lever again, but that didn’t work.

“Farkas!” I called through the bars. He turned to look

“Don’t worry. I got this,” he said with a wink. He turned back around to face his foes.

Farkas started breathing heavily. He hunched over. He was growing, his armor was replaced with fur. Long, dark claws grew out of his hands as he dropped his sword. When his transformation was complete, Farkas became a werewolf. I could hardly believe it.

He ripped the bandits to shreds in a matter of moments. I was still processing that Farkas was a werewolf, so I barely noticed the slaughter when it was happening. The beast that was Farkas wandered off, and the gate holding me in retracted into the ceiling. Farkas reappeared as Farkas when he came back.

“Hope I didn’t scare you,” he said nonchalantly.

“You didn’t, but what the hell, man? You could have warned me,” I said still processing the whole ordeal.

“I did.”

“Saying ‘I got this’ and winking at me doesn’t constitute a warning in my mind.”

“Sorry. I thought you’d be happy neither of us died.”

“I very much am. I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’m still processing that you’re a...werewolf.”

“Pretty cool, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

“Want to get moving?”

“Yeah.”

There were more bandits in the crypt. Farkas explained they were called the “Silver Hand,” and they despise werewolves. We took out a few Draugrs too. We made it to the main tomb. I grabbed the fragment. 

“Nice. Let’s get out of here,” Farkas said. As soon as I grabbed the fragment, some of the sarcophagi burst open, letting the Draugr loose. There were two behind Farkas; I dropped one with my bow, he got the other. There were many more Draugr to come.

We fought long and hard. I’ve never seen this many in one room. It was a challenging fight, but we prevailed and found some good loot.

“Good work. That was a tough fight. You’re a Companion in my eyes,” Farkas said after we’d caught our breath.

“Thanks, Farkas. That means a great deal coming from you,” I said. I meant it. It felt nice to be accepted, and I haven’t felt that feeling very often in my life.

“You’re welcome. You fight good. Where’d you learn to do that?”

“My mother taught me when I was young. The rest is practice and luck. I don’t feel like I’m that great.”

“Well, you are. The corpses around us are proof of that,” Farkas said, gesturing to the room.

“You did most of that. I just finished off the stragglers,” I responded, feeling sheepish.

“I wouldn’t see you as a Companion if that were true. You’re talented. You just need the right people to tell you. You’ll see then,” Farkas told me. “As a man who’s been fighting his whole life, I know a good fighter when I see one.”

“Thanks, Farkas. I think you are one of those people. Let’s get this back to Jorrvaskr,” I said as I motioned to the exit. I mostly wanted to leave so Farkas couldn’t see me blushing.

Arkosh

When we made it out of the crypt, it was already dark. We had little choice but to hike back to Whiterun. We were about halfway to the city when we came across a derelict cabin. It was mostly destroyed, but there happened to be a bed.

“Do you want to sleep here?” Farkas asked.

“Sure. I’m exhausted,” I said as I inspected the bed. “I think there’s enough room for both of us.”

“You take it. I’ll sleep over there,” he said, pointing at a patch of grass that had crept into the house.

“You’ll freeze! It’s not a problem for me. I’m happy to share.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve slept in worse spots.”

“You don’t have to, though. Please, Farkas.”

“Okay.” He walked over to the bed and lied down. He slid over to one edge to make room for me. I got in bed next to him. It was a tight fit, which only made it more awkward for me. We elected to keep our armor on for obvious reasons. 

We were lying on our backs when I realized the Aurora.

“It’s beautiful. I’ve never noticed it before,” I said, gazing up at the stars.

“Yeah. It comes and goes. Savor it while it lasts,” Farkas explained.

“I will.” We watched for a few minutes. It was beautiful, but so is sleep.

“I’m going to sleep. Good night, Farkas,” I said as I flipped onto my side.

“I guess I should try to also. Good night, Arkosh,” he replied as he rolled onto his side, facing away from me.

⬢   ⬢   ⬢

I slept for only a couple hours before I woke up. It was really cold, but better than nothing. Farkas’ body heat helped also. He had drifted quite close to me. I also realized his arm was across my hip. I tried not to move. I didn’t want to wake him. I felt at peace like this. I moved a little closer to Farks I slept soundly for the rest of the night.

Arkosh

28th of Last Seed, 4E 201.

I woke up early by my standards. Farkas was in the same position since I last woke. I can’t say I mind. I knew I should get up and start packing up, but I didn’t want to wake Farkas, so I decided to lay there until he woke up.

He woke a few minutes later.

“Hey. You awake?” he asked groggily.

“Yeah,” I answered, equally groggily.

“Breakfast?”

“Yeah.”

Farkas went about making a fire, and I grabbed some pre-cooked food from my bag. With the fire built, we started eating.

“I’m sorry I was so…close to you last night,” Farkas apologized.

“It’s not a problem. Your warmth felt nice.” I almost added that I liked how close we got, but thought better of it.

“Oh. Uh...good. You felt nice too. I-I mean your warmth did,” he said, blushing slightly.

“Good to hear,” It was my turn to blush. We finished our food in awkward silence. We packed and set out for Whiterun. Looking back on our latest conversations, maybe he’s trying to flirt. Or, more likely, he’s giving me compliments because he respects me as a warrior and a friend, and this is all in my head like it normally is. But I guess I started with Leon in a similar manner. I don’t know. I’ll just see how it plays out.

Arkosh

We began the walk back to Whiterun after we ate. Almost immediately, we ran into some drunken Nords, and they invited us to drink with them. I declined, but I gave them some of my own ale, if only to clear some clutter from my bag. They appreciated the gesture, and gave me an enchanted necklace. I thanked them and we made it to Whiterun without incident.

I gave Skjor the fragment of Wuuthrad back in Jorrvaskr. He asked me to follow him, and I complied. We were in the back yard, where the Circle was gathered. Aela, Kodlak, Skjor, Vilkas, and Farkas were all there. Kodlak began a speech about how I was officially joining the Companions. It was touching, but I don’t care much for ceremony.

Afterwards, I decided to ask about work. They seem all too happy to give me menial tasks to do for them, but I get paid so it’s all copasetic. I wanted to spice things up a little, so I asked Skjor for work. He wanted me to retrieve a family’s heirloom from a cult of vampires. He also mentioned that the Companions’ blacksmith had a weapon for me. I went to go claim it, and he gave me a war axe, which is my personal favorite type of weapon. 

Instead of doing Skjor’s task, I decided it was finally time to see the Greybeards. But first, I want to turn in the bounty and see if Lydia wants to come with me.

Arkosh

I’ve turned in the bounty and sold some things. Lydia agreed to come with me. Now I’m off to see the Greybeards in Ivarstead.

Arkosh

29th of Last Seed, 4E 201

Lydia and I arrived in Ivarstead very early this morning. I greatly underestimated just how far away the village was, but I did get distracted a fair bit with interesting landmarks. The Greybeards are still a ways to go. They’re in High Hrothgar, which is up the 7,000 Steps (more walking. Great).

I found a man named Klimmek who asked me to deliver some supplies to the Greybeards. I said I would do it. Now up the steps. Let’s find out more about this “Dragonborn” business.

Arkosh

I wasn’t counting, but that sure felt like more than 7,000 steps to me. My legs are killing me. But on the positive side, my calves are going to be nicely toned.

Arkosh

I truly am Dragonborn. I’m not sure how to feel about it yet. But I’ve been shown some Shouts, which is what I did when I slew my first dragon. The Greybeards taught me the rest of Unrelenting Force, which is what I learned from the dragon.

The Greybeards started guiding me on how to master the Voice, which is how I Shout. They taught me more Words of Power (which are the surges of power I feel when I find a wall in a Nordic crypt) for Unrelenting Force and a new Shout, Whirlwind Sprint. There were a few trials using these Shouts. I passed with ease

The Greybeards have given me one more trial, though. I need to find the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. With my lessons complete, that concludes my business in High Hrothgar. Back down the 7,000 Steps. If my legs aren’t perfectly toned when I get back to Ivarstead, I’m going to feel cheated.

Arkosh

I’ve officially been Dragonborn for only a few hours and people already doubt me. Nearly immediately upon entry to Ivarstead, I was attacked by some cultists who accused me of being a false Dragonborn. They claimed this Miraak character is the real Dragonborn. They’re based in Solstheim. I’ll travel there soon. But first, food and sleep.

Arkosh

  


30th of Last Seed, 4E 201

I woke up feeling tired and incredibly sore. I limped out of bed and found Klimmek sitting in the inn. I informed him that the supplies made it. He paid me well. I’ve finished what little business I have here, so I’m moving on. I think I’ll take Lydia and head to Riften. A change of scenery sounds really nice right now.

Arkosh

I came across a mercenary, who claimed there was trouble up ahead. I tried to persuade her to tell me where this trouble was, but she didn’t share. Instead she attacked me. I took her out with ease. She had some Dwarven armor though, so I guess it could have been worse for me. I gave the armor to Lydia; heavy armor is okay, but I feel more comfortable in my leather armor.

Arkosh

About halfway to Riften, I came across a small fort. It turned out that this fort was an Orcish stronghold. They were being attacked by a giant, and I helped take it down. One of the Orcs approached me. She said that the tribe was cursed, and she needed some things for a ritual. She said it was my duty as an Orc to help them. I may be an Orc, but I am not a part of their culture, but I elected to help them anyway. She needs a Daedra and troll fat. This might be a challenge.

Arkosh

I made it to Riften just before dark. First impression: the guards are assholes. I didn’t even get into the city before they tried a shakedown on me. It didn’t work of course but not the best thing to set foot in a city on.

I found the blacksmith and sold some of the spoils I found throughout the day. When I finished my business, a man named Brynjolf came up to me. He asked that I steal a ring and place it on someone. I said I’d do it.

The task was easy for someone with my skills, even though I was a little out of practice. He told me to meet him at The Ragged Flagon, which is an underground bar (literally and figuratively). I’ll head down there tomorrow. I’m going to take in what little sights there are here and then find the inn.

Arkosh

It seems the people of Riften are as dependant on me to complete their errands as the people of Whiterun. I’ve been here for three hours and I’ve gotten five new tasks already. I’ll do them as they are convenient.

I was heading to the inn when a man in golden robes approached me.

“Hello! My name name is Maramal, and I’d like to share with you the most amazing goddess. Her Benevolence, Mara is the goddess of love and compassion...” the priest droned on talking about what he promised if I accepted their ways. I tuned most of it out but one thing caught my interest.

“You said something about weddings?” I asked.

“That’s right! We’ll take any couple. Are you familiar with the Skyrim’s wedding customs?”

“No, not exactly,” I said hesitantly, hoping to avoid another spiel.

“Oh, it’s simple! Just wear this amulet and tell the object of your affection how you feel. If they accept, come to the temple and you’ll be wed! It’s easy!” I still don’t understand how anyone can be that enthusiastic about something. I thought about the amulet and what it could mean for me, but I started thinking, and that’s always a dangerous game for me. What if it doesn’t work for Orsimer? What if nobody returns my feelings? What if I attract the wrong people? What if, what if, what if?

I collected myself and thought about this rationally. If I want a husband, this is the easiest and clearest way to get my message across. I’ve never been good at expressing my feelings, so this could be just what I need. Or it fails and I’m out 200 gold. I decide to buy an amulet and live with the consequences. Also, I don’t think this priest will leave me alone unless I accept his religion to some degree. I’ll probably come to regret this.

Arkosh

  


31st of Last Seed, 4E 201

I woke up conflicted over my Amulet of Mara, but that’s better than I was feeling last night. Lydia and I got breakfast at the inn. When she saw my necklace, she groaned.

“What?” I asked, feeling sheepish

“I really think that tradition is stupid. It’s the priests’ way of making more money out of us. Plus, why can’t people just tell somebody that they love them? Why do they need some fancy necklace to do it for them?” I’ve never seen her so worked up about something before.

“Maybe because it’s difficult to tell people how we feel because we are scared of how they might react and it’s a bit easier if a necklace says we’re interested than if we did it ourselves,” I added quietly.

“Fair point,” she conceded. “But wouldn’t it be more meaningful if someone came up to you and said directly that they’re interested instead of commenting on your necklace?”

“Yeah…” I felt anxious enough about wearing it, and I didn’t feel like debating Lydia anymore, so I left it at that.

I’ve had enough of Riften and I’m setting out to cross some more errands off nearby. First stop: some Dwarven ruins I spotted on the way to Riften.

Arkosh

The ruins were both fun and interesting. The opposition was Dwarven automatons of varying sizes. It was something new and more interesting than bandits or Draugrs, so I was pleasantly surprised. But there was plenty of mystery, too.

When I entered, I saw some crimson spectres. They were the party that originally got the Lexicon, which is what I was tasked with returning. It was a simple task, and I accomplished it easily. When I placed the Lexicon on its receptacle, I felt a rush of ancient knowledge rush through me when I replaced the Lexicon. I saw Dwemer smithing techniques that I’m eager to try out.

Arkosh

  


1st of Heartfire, 4E 201

When Lydia and I emerged from the ruins, it was quite late. We had two options: we could head back to Riften and get a room there or we can find a shack or something with a roof and a bed nearby. We chose to walk back to Riften. We knew there were warm beds and hot food there. Hopefully, we’ll get there without much trouble.

Arkosh

We got back after only an hour of walking. We headed straight for the inn and slept. We slept in late again, so I don’t think I’ll leave Riften again today. I have a lot to do that’s far from civilization, so I want an early start. After I sell some of the goods I’ve collected, I’ll head down to the Ragged Flagon and meet with this Brynjolf character.

Arkosh

The journey to the Ragged Flagon was not what I expected. There were some aggressive low-lives and traps. But I made it safely to the tavern and saw Brynjolf waiting there. I said I’d do more work for him. He said if I completed this new job I’d be accepted into his organization. He asked me to collect some protection money from clients. He said “by any means necessary” which leads me to believe this could be trouble. It’s getting late so I think I’ll save that for another day.

Arkosh

  


2nd of Heartfire, 4E 201

I’m finally getting that early start today. Lydia and I will grab a quick breakfast and we’ll be off.

Arkosh

My first task was dealing with a bounty. The task was to kill a dragon at a watchtower. I dealt with it promptly, taking what remains I could carry. I need to go back to Riften to claim the reward, but I’ll deal with it when I need to go back there. Next stop: Ivarstead.

Arkosh

This was easy compared to fighting a dragon. A priestess of Mara asked me to try and “spread love through Skyrim” which means helping people deal with their relationship issues, which isn’t my job or my business. I guess this is a downside to the Amulet of Mara. Maybe Lydia is right. This might have been a mistake. Anyways, I need to get an heirloom from some bandits for the Companions next.

Arkosh

Turns out the bandits were vampires. Needless to say, I wasn’t prepared for a challenge. I killed them nonetheless and retrieved the heirloom. One of the items I picked up was a gray rock thing. When I touched it, I heard an ethereal voice and nearly had a heart attack. It was the Daedric Prince Meridia. The voice told me to go to Mount Kilkreath and return the beacon. That will be for another day. Now to retrieve Nettlebane for a priestess in Whiterun.

Arkosh

Done. I have Nettlebane. I also managed to find a Daedra heart for the Orcish stronghold near Riften, Largashbur. First, I’m going to Whiterun. To do that, I’ll need to cross through the mountains. This is going to be very cold.

Arkosh

Lydia and I made it through the mountains safely. We got to Riverwood just as it was getting dark. We went to the inn to warm up and get a room for the evening. While we were drinking our ale, Camilla, the sister of the shopkeep that I got the golden claw for, approached me.

“Hey there. How are you doing?”

“I’m fine. How are you?” I said hesitantly. I shared a subtle look with Lydia. Even when I was in Riverwood, she never talked to me much, so I found this odd.

“I’m better now that you’re around. I like your necklace there,” she said gesturing to my Amulet of Mara. I turned a deep shade of red, or so Lydia says.

“Oh...Uh-thanks. You too,” I said out of habit, even though she didn’t have a necklace. I sunk further into my chair. She laughed at that.

“You’re too cute! Say, are you...available?” she said. My face felt like it was about to combust.

“What? Uh-I...Uh,” I was stammering badly. I would have continued if not for Lydia.

“No. He’s not. Even if he liked girls, you certainly wouldn’t be his choice. Now move along,” Lydia said as she stood up, pointing to the door. Camilla was livid. She was about to say something, but stormed out of the inn instead. Lydia went away for a few moments, but came back soon with two more bottles of mead.

“Hey,” she said, handing me a bottle. “You okay?”

“Yeah. I guess so. Thanks for taking care of her,” I said and took the drink.

“That’s what friends are for,” she said. She put her arm around my shoulder, and we clinked our bottles and drank. We didn’t stop with those two drinks.

Arkosh

  


3rd of Heartfire, 4E 201

I got up slowly, a little hungover. I knocked on Lydia’s room and I heard her groan.

“Five more minutes…” Lydia called groggily.

“You got it,” I said. I decided to get our breakfast. When our food was ready, I took our food into Lydia’s room. She was awake, so that was a good start. She perked up when she smelled the freshly cooked food.

“Thanks, Arkosh,” she said, sitting up to accept the plate of food.

“You’re welcome, Lydia. Hungover too?” I asked as she took the plate.

“Yep. But we had fun last night and that’s what matters.” We didn’t talk again until we scarfed down our food.

“Ready?” I asked her.

“Let me get dressed and we can get a move on.” I left the room and waited. Five minutes later, she had her armor on and we were ready to go. My plan is to spend a day or two in Whiterun then take the carriage to Riften.

Arkosh

We got to Whiterun early. It’s noon now and I’m done with my errands. It feels nice to be done early. Anyway, I’ve made my way around the shops, selling what I can. I asked the priestess about the next step with Nettlebane, which is to get sap from the Eldergleam Sanctuary. I also turned in the heirloom to Skjor. He had another job for me but was very secretive about it. I’m supposed to meet him in the Underforge tonight. This whole thing seems off, but I’ll meet him there. I guess I have until then off. I’ll find something to do.  
Arkosh

I want to learn more magic. I’ve been using it in combat more, and it might be nice to know some more advanced spells. I bought some spell books from the Court Wizard and set out for a bandit camp. It also happens to be the target of a bounty. Seems like a decent field test for my magic.

Arkosh

I love magic. I was able to clear the camp using only spells. I’ve never felt more drained after a battle, but I felt powerful though. If I want to use magic more, I’ll need to work on how much Magicka drain my body can tolerate. I’ve heard of a mage’s college somewhere in Winterhold. Maybe I’ll check it out. It’s getting to be dark. I should eat and then meet Skjor.

Arkosh

I was not expecting that. I entered the Underforge with Skjor. Aela was there too but in her beast form. The room was a cave basically, with a basin in the middle. Skjor invited me into the Circle, but to do that I need to become a werewolf like them. I said I’d think about it. I need to do some research. 

Arkosh

  



	3. Companion

4th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I’ve decided to take Skjor’s offer and become a werewolf. I become a member of the Circle, which has its benefits too. I’ll meet with him soon.  
Arkosh  
I left to meet with Skjor after breakfast. He was still waiting in the Underforge. He said that Aela would be my forebear, which meant that I share her beast-blood. Skjor filled the basin with her blood. He told me to drink the blood. I was hesitant but did as I was asked. That was the last thing I remember before blacking out.  
I woke up in the middle of a forest. Aela was there, back in her human form. She said my transformation was not smooth. Aela said my...initiation, I guess, was to kill the Silver Hand. Sounds easy enough. She encouraged I embrace my beast form for this challenge. I’ll give it a try.  
Arkosh  
That was eventful, for sure. After Aela and I took out the exterior guards, we went inside. I decided that it would be a good opportunity to change into my beast form. The transformation wasn’t exactly painful, but it wasn’t pleasant either. We delved deeper into the fort.  
We encountered some enemies, and I was curious how I would do in combat as a werewolf. Very well, it turns out. I tore them to pieces. Literally. The gray walls of the fort have a healthy coat of red on them. Aela told me that the only way to become more connected with my werewolf side and to stay in that form longer, I’d need to feed on my kills. I was not excited about that, but my beast side felt hungry. When I approached a corpse, my beast side took over and ate well. When I finished, we pressed on.  
There were plenty more Silver Hand in the fort, but we dealt with them easily. My beast side fed on them which gave me the strength to take on their leader. He was more of a challenge, but he died like the rest. When we finished, we found Skjor, dead, on the ground. I found it hard to believe a group of bandits, essentially, could take out a man as strong as Skjor. Aela told me to take out more Silver Hand in the Rift while she tended to Skjor.  
After she gave me my next assignment, I felt a change. I was returning to normal. When the transformation back to normal finished, I saw that I was naked. Aela chuckled.  
“That happens the first few times you transform. Once you do it three or four times, you’ll keep your armor on,” she said, eyes wandering.  
“Oh. Good to know,” I said, embarrassed. I wasn’t able to loot anything on the way in, so I grabbed what I could on the way out. I hoped my shiny new Elven armor was where I transformed. It was. I got dressed and collected anything worth selling. It’s getting dark, so I’m going to head to the closest city, which is Windhelm, the home of the Stormcloak rebellion.  
Arkosh

  
5th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
Okay, I didn’t make it to Windhelm. I did find an abandoned shack with a bed and a fire, so I slept there. It was warm enough. Barely. I do intend to go to Windhelm today, though. It’s not far; it should only take a couple hours.  
Arkosh  
I made it to Windhelm before lunchtime. I was greeted with two Nords harassing a Dunmer. I wanted to intervene because I know what it’s like to be bullied because of what shape your ears are or what color skin you have, but something held me back. I tried to get by without being noticed, but the Dunmer called out to me. She asked if I hate her kind. I said I didn’t. I don’t understand why or how anyone could hate a whole race of people for just existing, but when you get down to it, people are just assholes.  
I talked with her a little bit and asked her about the town. She directed me to some businesses. I thanked her and set off for the general store. The owner was griping about a stolen ring he’d bought. Because citizens of Skyrim need the Dragonborn to do their errands for them, he asked me to put the ring back into the rightful owner’s house. I sold off my goods too. I think I’ll spend the day walking around the city, seeing what’s what.  
Arkosh  
I put the ring back easily. I’ll speak to the shopkeeper soon. On my way out, a young girl named Sophie was selling flowers. Out of charity, I bought some. I asked about her parents, and as I suspected, they died, leaving her orphaned. Windhelm is digging up a lot of unpleasant memories from Cyrodiil.  
One of the rumors I heard at some tavern was that a boy, Aventus Aretino, was trying to contact the Dark Brotherhood. I don’t have much better to do, so I’ll talk to him about it and why he’s doing it.  
Arkosh  
Alrighty then. The kid was serious. He performed the Black Sacrament or tried to, anyway. He thought I was an assassin and asked me to kill Grelod the Kind in the orphanage in Riften. She sounds terrible and apparently treats the kids terribly, too. I’ll honor my “contract” if it means the orphans get a better life. Now, what else is there to see?  
Arkosh  
I decided to talk to the Jarl, Ulfric Stormcloak. He barely tolerated my presence, but when I told him I was there with him in Helgen, he warmed up a little. He asked if I wished to join the Stormcloaks. I said I’d hear his spiel. He said they take any true sons and daughters of Skyrim, and that they fight for a free Skyrim. I found this funny because I was an outsider and an Orc, no less. I’m surprised I was even admitted into the Jarl’s palace.   
Ulfric referred me to his right-hand man. He asked what an Orc wanted with the movement dedicated to “freeing” Skyrim for the Nords. I was taken aback by this. He corrected himself when I mentioned this. He said they wanted to make it a free home for anyone (but just from how the Stormcloaks treat the Dunmer in their own city, this is a blatant lie, but I went with it while I was in their presence). When Ulfric’s right-hand man finished his spiel, I said I’d consider it. I will, but not very hard.   
I understand where Ulfric is coming from. If something dear to me was taken, I wouldn’t keep quiet about it. He’s doing that with Talos. However, even if the Stormcloaks win and the Empire loses Skyrim, the Aldmeri Dominion would come back in a few years and crush Ulfric’s troops. If the Empire quells the rebellion themselves, there would be much less bloodshed. Right now, I’m leaning towards the Empire. I haven’t forgotten what happened when I first set foot in Skyrim, but at least everyone is truly free: Nords, Orcs, and Dunmer, and all others alike. I need to sleep on this. I’m not even prepared to make a decision yet.  
Arkosh  
I found the inn and got a room. I saw one of the men who were harassing the Dunmer when I first entered the city. When I sat down next to him, he spouted something about how awful the Dunmer are. I told him to fuck off. He didn’t take to kindly to that and challenged me to a fight. I beat him easily. Unsurprisingly he was a sore loser, but he gave me my money. I got dinner and stayed up for a few more hours then retired to my room.

  
6th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I didn’t sleep well last night. I found this odd; I’ve never had this problem in Skyrim before. I thought about what Farkas said about how he never slept well. Maybe it has to do with my beast blood. I’ll have to talk to someone about that. I’m going to leave Windhelm after I eat and finish a few errands, then I’ll kill the Silver Hand near Riften.  
Arkosh  
A snowstorm was settling in just as I was leaving Windhelm, so I chose to take a carriage to Riften. I’ll spend the night there, then press on to the Silver Hand.  
Arkosh  
While I was walking to the inn, I saw a building: Honorhall Orphanage. Then I remembered I had a “contract” to kill Grelod the Kind, who was in charge there. I decided I’d stop by. When I entered, she was giving the children a lecture. In summary, she didn’t care about the kids at all. When she finished her speech, she left for her room. I followed her. When she was alone, I killed her. She fell easily. When I had done the deed, the kids rushed inside the room and started celebrating. I left hoping the kids would be in better hands. Once I’m finished in the Rift, I’ll head back to Windhelm and tell Aventus. But now, I need to sleep.  
Arkosh

  
7th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I’ve picked up a few more jobs from the inn. One is to deliver a keg of mead to Ivarstead. I might do that on my way back to Whiterun. The other is to speak to Sibbi Black-Briar about a horse he was selling. I’ll speak to him, then I’ll be on my way.  
Arkosh  
Sibbi told me where the horse is. I also persuaded him to tell me where a hidden stash was. The only problem is, both are on the Black-Briar estate. Stealing from one of the most powerful families in Skyrim isn’t the best idea, but I’ve had worse. I guess I’ll do it. The estate is near where the Silver Hand are, so that’s convenient.   
Arkosh  
I finished the horse job. It was a lot easier than I expected. I had to take out some guards at the door, but once I got in the estate I was able to sneak past the guards. I got the lineage papers and the secret stash and got out without the guards ever noticing. I found the man who originally gave me this task. He wanted Frost (the horse I stole), but I needed a good steed. I managed to convince him to let me keep the horse. So I have a horse now. I rode him to the Silver Hand’s fort, took out the guards, and now I’m writing this. I think I’ll do this in my beast form, see what happens.  
Arkosh  
That was too easy. There were only three Silver Hand inside the cave, two of them sleeping. I was already in my beast form, so I took out the sleepers easily. Then their leader emerged. He went down a little less easily than his cohorts but went down nonetheless. When I returned to my normal self, I was naked again. Fortunately, there was no one to gawk this time. I’ll have to try this again in front of Farkas. No, I won’t. Why do I have the mind of a twelve-year-old? Anyway, I’m going back to Riften for the night, then head back to Windhelm tomorrow morning.  
Arkosh  
I made it back to Riften quickly, thanks to my new horse. I’ll walk around the city for a while, then rest at the inn. Tomorrow I’ll head to Windhelm.  
Arkosh  
My exploration of Riften took me to the docks. There, I found an Argonian skooma addict. She begged me for a healing potion. I gave her one, and she thanked me. I asked what skooma was (I knew of it, but never really understood what it was exactly). She told me, and it sounds terrible. She mentioned something about a dealer in Riften, and I asked her directly about it. She said the dealer was someone named Sarthis. I think the best course of action is to tell the Jarl.  
Arkosh  
I spoke to the Jarl, and she told me to deal with the dealer personally. I’ll take care of him. On my way out of the palace, one of the Jarl’s sons ordered me to pick up a sword from the blacksmith for him. He said he’d pay, so I guess I’ll do it after I deal with the skooma dealer.  
Arkosh  
I killed the dealer and found the source of the skooma. I wanted to inform the Jarl. On my way to her palace, I picked up her son’s sword from the smith. I gave the son his sword, and he paid me begrudgingly. Next, I told the Jarl where the source of the skooma was. She asked if I’d eliminate it. I agreed. From what I heard, it sounds like I may be eligible for Thane of Riften if I take care of this problem.  
Arkosh  
Having looked at my map, the source is too far away for me to ride to before dark. I’ll do it tomorrow.  
Arkosh

  
8th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I’m heading out for the skooma source. I hope this won’t take very long.  
Arkosh  
The skooma source has been eliminated. It was fairly easy. Only a few lightly armed bandits. I took them all out. Now I need to inform the Jarl.  
Arkosh  
The ride back to Riften was peaceful. It was nice to just ride my horse. I like the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair when I have it untied. I need to do this more. Maybe when I have an open day I can just ride.  
Arkosh  
I got back to Riften just before dark. I informed the Jarl of my success, and she was very grateful. As to my suspicions, she said she would make me Thane of her court if I bought a house. I have plenty of gold to spare. I think I’ll buy the house, but I’ll need to think about becoming Thane. I’ll most likely get a Housecarl, which means they’ll live in my house. I guess I want a house just to myself. I’ll take the house and think about being a Thane later.  
Arkosh  
I really like my new house. It’s bigger than my house in Whiterun. It has a nice balcony overlooking the lake. There is also a big basement, with an alchemy laboratory for all of the alchemy that I don’t do. I like this place, but I’m not sure if I want to live here. I’ve gotten quite attached to Whiterun. I just need to think about it. I think I’ll hold off on becoming Thane of Riften, at least for a little while. I want a space just to myself, and needing to deal with another Housecarl who insists on calling me “Thane” every time I greet them isn’t something I want to deal with right now. Anyway, I’ll ride back to Whiterun tomorrow and see what I need to do next for the Companions.  
Arkosh

  
9th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I want to get an early start so I can hopefully make it to Whiterun before dark, so I’ll keep this and breakfast short. I’ve picked up some more errands, and I’ll write about them as I complete them. If I come across one in my travels, I might stop to complete it. I need to get moving regardless.  
Arkosh  
I happened to come across one of my missions on my ride. I was near the Eldergleam Sanctuary, so I took Frost to get the sap I needed. Getting there was simple; there were some pilgrims there who told me about the sanctuary. It was truly beautiful. Once I got the sap, several spriggans attacked me. They killed the pilgrims, which was unfortunate, but I avenged them.  
When I exited the sanctuary, I thought I saw a small camp a way down. I decided to investigate. It was a camp of hunters, who were bathing in the mineral springs that were all around the area. I hadn’t had a bath in a while, so I was about to ask if I could join them when a dragon flew in out of nowhere. I started firing arrows at it, and eventually took it down. The hunters died too. But that left the springs open to me, so I stripped down for a bath.  
The water is a nice temperature, which is a welcome change from the icy river water I’m used to. I’m still in the water as I’m writing this now. I think I’ll soak here for a few more minutes then continue on my journey. I’ll definitely need to come back here when I’m not pressed for time.  
Arkosh  
Another one of my errands was just crossed off my list. I was asked to retrieve an amulet from a bandit camp by a Khajiit named Kharjo. I dealt with the bandits and found the amulet. Now the tricky part is going to find Kharjo; he’s a caravan guard, so he’s always on the move. Hopefully, I’ll get lucky and see him in one of the hold capitals. Now I’m going to finally make it back to Whiterun.  
Arkosh  
I made it to Whiterun with a few hours before dark. My first order of business was to tell the priestess I had Eldergleam sap. When I told her, she was grateful. Next, I need to tell Aela that the Silver Hand had been dealt with. I told Aela, and she paid me. She also told me where another fragment of Wuuthrad was and asked me to get it back. It means I have to go back to the Rift, but I’ll be able to stop at Ivarstead on the way. That can wait until tomorrow. I’m hungry.  
Arkosh

  
10th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I didn’t sleep well last night. I’m not tired though, which is odd. I’ll need to talk to Aela or someone about this. My plan for the day is to make my way to the Rift, maybe spend the night in Ivarstead, then return to Whiterun. I’ll take Lydia with me. I have missed having her around. I’ll get her then we can start out trek.  
Arkosh  
The walk to Ivarstead was uneventful by Skyrim’s standards. A few bandits here, an assassin there, and a few wolves sprinkled in for variety. Once we got there, Lydia got us rooms and I took care of my errands and acquired a bounty from the Jarl. We’ll stay the night here then take out the Silver Hand tomorrow.  
Arkosh  


11th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
We made it to the fort where the Silver Hand were hiding. Lydia and I took out the guards. We were about to go in when I stopped. I thought it would be a good idea to tell Lydia I was a werewolf before I transform into a bloodthirsty beast.  
“Lydia, there is something I’d like to tell you,” I said, pulling her aside.  
“What is it, Arkosh?” she asked.  
“I’m a werewolf. You’ll see me transform when we go inside. I just thought a little warning would be helpful.”  
“Okay. Thanks for the heads up,” she said. I couldn’t read her expression.  
“It’s going to be bloody. You don’t have to go in with me.”  
“I can handle blood. I’ve seen my fair share of it through the years. And of course, I’ll go with you. There is no place I’d rather be.”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah. You’re a great man and a good friend. I’ll always fight by your side, regardless of what form you’re in.”  
“Oh. Thanks, Lydia. That means a lot,” I said, surprised. I didn’t expect to get that reaction. “Ready?”  
“Hell yeah. Let’s do this,” she said, patting me on the shoulder. We entered the fort.  
When we entered, I began to transform into my beast side. There were plenty of Silver Hand in the fort. I charged in and Lydia backed me up, picking off the stragglers. We dealt with them easily. Once we took out all the enemies, Lydia began picking up valuables while I waited to return to normal. A couple hours later, I was back to my normal figure. I was naked again. Hopefully, I’ll keep my armor on the fourth time. I was rummaging through a chest looking for the fragment when I heard Lydia clear her throat.  
“Umm, Arkosh?” she asked.  
“Yeah?” I said as I found the fragment. I turned to face her.  
“Why are you naked?” Lydia asked, staring.  
“Hm? Oh, right. Sorry, I guess I’ve gotten used to it. That happens when I get back to normal.”   
“Where’s your armor?” she asked, finally looking at my face.  
“It should be near the entrance where I first transformed. I’ll go get it. Sorry,” I said, suddenly feeling embarrassed.  
“No need to apologize. Might as well grab what we can and make this all one trip.” With that, we grabbed whatever could get good coin at a shop. When we left the fort, it was a little past noon.  
“We still have half the day left. What’s next?” Lydia asked after I had all of my armor on.  
“This was the only thing I had planned today. I guess we have some freedom. What would you like to do?” I asked her. She thought about it for a little bit before she responded.  
“I’ve heard people talk about mineral baths near here, and I kind of want to check them out. Does that sound good to you?”  
“Sure. Sounds relaxing. But do you really want to see me naked again?” I said jokingly. Lydia laughed. “Come on. Let’s head over there.”  
Arkosh  
We got there a couple hours later. We looked around for a calm spot. We found one after a little bit of searching. We took off our armor and settled in the spring.  
“Warm water sure is a nice change, isn’t it?” Lydia asked, sinking further into the water.  
“Yeah. This feels really nice. Great idea,” I said. We sat in silence for a few minutes.  
“Has your amulet worked yet?” Lydia asked, breaking the silence.  
“What? Oh. No. The only effect I’ve seen is when Camilla approached me,” I said, wondering where this could be going.  
“Has your future husband seen it yet?”  
“I haven’t thought that far ahead yet and yes. I think so. I wore it around him, but he didn’t say anything.”  
“See, this is why I hate those things. You get attention from all the wrong people and the person you want to see it never does, so you’re stuck hoping they notice. You should just tell him. You’ll get results much faster. Who is he, by the way?”  
“He’s one of the Companions. But what if I tell him and he doesn’t like me back? What if I look stupid? What if I offend him? It’s easier to just wear this and hope he says something about it.”  
“Okay, first of all, who wouldn’t like you? You have a fun personality, you’re an excellent warrior, and, honestly, you have one of the best bodies I’ve seen in quite a while. What’s not to like about you? Second, you’re the Dragonborn. You’re an icon. No one will think you look stupid, and you might even inspire people to do what you did. And third, so what if you offend him? He’ll probably forget in a day or two anyway. You have nothing to fear; you kill dragons for fun and absorb their souls. If you can do that, you can tell a guy you like him. Now, when you go to Jorrvaskr next, you better come back with a man at your hips or I will repeat this speech every day until you do. Okay?”  
“Okay. I’ll think of something to say,” I started to say.  
“No! No rehearsals! That only breeds anxiety. As soon as you see him, go up to him and say how much you like him.”  
“Alright. Fine. I’ll do it soon. Can I ask why you care so much?” I asked Lydia.  
“I care because I see how lonely you are. I see how you stare at the empty chair with a longing in your eyes. I see how you look at the attractive men when we stop at a tavern. I hear you jerking off at night. I don’t mind that, but it’s no way to live. How long are you going to wait until someone comes to you? Take some initiative. Just ask him out to dinner or a walk. It doesn’t need to happen quickly. I think it could really do you good to tell him.”  
“Okay. I’ll do it,” I said, feeling embarrassed that she heard me those times at night.  
“Good,” she said. “Do you want to stay here longer or get back to Whiterun?”  
“Let’s stay here for a little bit longer.” We waited for at least another hour. After that, we dried off, got dressed, and hit the road for Whiterun.  
We got back well into the evening. Lydia and I stopped at the tavern for food, as neither of us had the energy to cook. Once we finished our meal, we went back to the house and slept. I’ll give Aela the fragment of Wuuthrad and maybe tell Farkas my feelings. I’ll worry about that tomorrow.  


12th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I guess it’s technically tomorrow, so I can worry about Farkas now. I couldn’t fall asleep last night; I don’t know if it was because of my beast blood or because of what Lydia told me. It’s helped in the past, so I’ll try writing my feelings down. I really like Farkas. He’s attractive, strong, caring, and an interesting person. I want a relationship with him, not just a one night stand like with Erik. I bought the Amulet of Mara hoping he’d notice and say he likes me. That hasn’t happened yet, so I’m skeptical if he likes me or if he’s seen it.  
I want to tell him that I like him, but every time I think about it, I picture all the ways something can go wrong. I guess that’s what’s been holding me back. Another issue is that I don’t really know him. I know enough to know that I like him, but we just haven’t...bonded like I have with Lydia. I will tell him. I just want to be around him more, I guess. It’s complicated and stupid. But Lydia is right; I do long for company and the Amulet of Mara hasn’t worked how I would have hoped. So I guess my best option is to tell Farkas directly. Gods help me.  
Arkosh  
I slept for a few hours after I finished my last entry, but I was still awake before Lydia. I want to do something nice for her. I’ll make her a nice breakfast. I wonder what I’ll make?  
Arkosh  
I decided to make a large horker and cheese omelette. I set about beating the eggs and cutting the vegetables. I heard Lydia come down the stairs as I was peeling potatoes.  
“What’s all this?” she asked sleepily.  
“Breakfast!” I said cheerfully.  
“How can you be this cheerful this early in the morning?” she said as she made tea.  
“I don’t sleep well anymore, but I don’t ever feel tired. A side effect of being a werewolf,” I said as I threw the potatoes into a pot.  
“Okay. Cool, I guess,” Lydia said as she sat down with her tea. I continued to prep ingredients, cutting carrots, dicing the horker meat, peeling garlic. Lydia and I talked a little, but I was focused on my food and Lydia was still very tired. When I finished, Lydia had migrated to the table. I flipped the eggs onto the plates and added the filling. When I set it in front of Lydia, she seemed amazed that I would do something like this early.  
“I can’t believe you did all this right after you got up. Why?  
“Because I wanted to treat you and I like cooking,” I said as I sat down next to her.  
“Well, thanks.” She tried the omelette, chewing slowly.  
“This is really good, Arkosh,” she said, thankfully after she swallowed.  
“Really?”  
“Yeah! It tastes great. Thanks for doing all this. You should cook more often.”  
“Thanks. Maybe I will,” I said before I started in on my own omelette. We ate in silence, savoring each bite. We finished and got up to scrape the remaining scraps into the fire. I took Lydia’s plate and set it on the table to clean later. Once I set those down, Lydia pulled me into a hug.  
“Thanks for being you, Arkosh,” she said in my ear.  
“You got it,” I said, holding her tighter. We broke apart and left to take on the world.  
Arkosh  
I needed to speak with Aela in Jorrvaskr. Lydia volunteered to come along. She said she’d never been in there before, but my guess was that she wanted to scope out all the men there and ask “Is that him?” about every guy.  
My suspicions were correct because as soon as we entered, she pointed to Torvar and whispered: “Is that him?”.  
“No,” I whispered back.  
“Good. He looks like he’s always drunk.” She wasn’t too far from the truth.  
I found Aela and gave her the fragment. I asked what the next step was, but she said Kodlak was looking for me, so I went down to his quarters to find him. On my way down, I passed Vilkas.  
“Morning, Vilkas,” I said. He grunted in response and kept walking. I found this a little odd. He always said hi whenever I greeted him, and he was always polite and pleasant when I spoke to him.  
“I hope that’s not him because he seems like an ass,” Lydia said when he was out of earshot.  
“Nope. You’re close, though,” I said. Lydia had a puzzled look on her face when I told her that. I found Kodlak sitting in his quarters. He greeted me politely but soon scolded me for pursuing the Silver Hand as much as I have been. I apologized and he said it wasn’t a large issue. Kodlak gave me a job: I was to hunt down the Glenmoril Witches and bring him their heads. He said that was how you could cure lycanthropy. I agreed.  
Their hideout is near Markarth, so I’ll take the carriage there. When we were making our way out, I saw Farkas approach me.  
“Morning, Farkas,” I said, hoping for a better result than with Vilkas.   
“Good morning, Arkosh,” Farkas said. “Don’t mind my brother. We had a bit of a disagreement.”  
“Can I ask on what?”  
“Oh. Uhh...um. Uhh...what material is the best for weapons,” he stammered, unconvincingly. I decided not to press the issue, despite my curiosity.  
“Um, okay.”  
“Yep.” There was a considerable silence and a lot of awkward eye contact before Farkas broke the silence.  
“I like your necklace. Isn’t that an Amulet of Mara?” I blushed deeply when he pointed it out.  
“Oh. Heh. Yeah. It is, isn’t it?” I said, trying to keep my composure but failing miserably.  
“Do you want to get married-I mean I didn’t know you wanted to get married,” Farkas said quickly. I heard Lydia groan behind me.  
“Yeah, I guess so.” I heard Lydia groan. Suddenly, she shoved me into Farkas. He caught me though, which only made us blush harder.  
“Uh. Hey,” I said as calmly as possible.  
“Hi.” He put me back on my feet. “I have to go...do a thing. See you later,” Farkas said as he brushed past me. I could hear Lydia giggling.  
“That was the funniest and most awkward conversation I have ever seen!” she said, trying to collect herself.  
“Why’d you push me?” I hissed at her.  
“Honestly, I was hoping you two would kiss. You know he’s in love with you, right?”  
“What? No, that’s not true,” I said in disbelief. She groaned again. “We need to get moving. We can talk about this later,” I said, rushing out of Jorrvaskr. What I meant is that I don’t want to talk about this ever again.  
Arkosh  
I had some potion ingredients to sell, so I stopped by the apothecary. I sold what I could. The alchemist there suggested I try to make a potion. I decided it was worth a shot. I tried mixing some of the leftover ingredients I had. I made some potions and poisons. I might try them and hope they don’t kill me. I kind of enjoyed alchemy, but I doubt I’ll take it up as a hobby. I think Lydia is eager to see a new city, so we’ll take the carriage to Markarth today. I have to grab some Dwarven bracers for someone named Calcelmo there, and then we’ll be off.  
Arkosh  
The ride took much longer than I anticipated. We got there very early in the morning. Lydia was sleepy, but I felt awake as ever. We entered the city without any fanfare from the guards. We entered into a small town square, with a few people milling about. One of them had a dagger drawn. I thought this was a little suspect, so I stood back and kept an eye on him. He started slinking up behind a woman, with her back turned. I could tell where this was going.  
I launched an ice spike at him, which stunned him and he directed his attention towards me. I finished him off with my axe. I spoke to the woman. She had no idea why anyone would attack him. The witnesses weren’t much help either. A man came up to me and handed me a note. He claimed I dropped it, but I know I didn’t. It said to meet him at the Shrine of Talos. Tomorrow. Everything can wait until tomorrow. I want food and a drink or three and intend on getting right now.  
Arkosh

  
13th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
The beds here are literally hard as a rock. They are actually made of stone. I don’t know how anyone could sleep here. Anyway, I woke up and ordered breakfast for Lydia and me. I quizzed the innkeeper about rumors and jobs, and he happily complied. He told me some interesting rumors and gave me a bounty to clear Forsworn out of some old cave. I’m still not entirely clear on who or what the Forsworn are, but I’m sure I’ll find out.  
There was a drunk man sitting at the bar with me. He challenged me to a fist fight. I took him on and beat him. When I beat him, he went back to his drink like nothing happened. My first goal is to take out the witches for Kodlak. I’ll probably spend a day or two in Markarth, so there’s plenty of time to explore the city. I’ll do that when I return.  
Arkosh  
When I left the city, I saw a group of people crowding in front of a mine. I wanted to investigate. The owner said another mine had been taken over by the Forsworn. I volunteered to help. He was glad help was coming sooner rather than later, and pointed me in the direction of the mine. It’s not really on the way, but I’ll deal with it soon. The more I hear about the Forsworn, the less I like them.  
Arkosh  
We made it to the witches’ cave late in the afternoon. We’ll clear them out, then make our way back to civilization.  
Arkosh  
We wiped out the witches without too much difficulty. We were able to sneak up on them, and if they found us, we rushed them and struck them down. I collected their heads, as per Kodlak’s request. When we got out of the cave, it was nearly dark. Markarth was too far, so we headed to Falkreath. Fortunately, we found a small tower that has some bedrolls, so we’ll spend the night here and then make our way back to Markarth tomorrow. Since we’ll have more daylight, we might stop to complete some quests like clearing Forsworn from a mine. I’ll review my to-do list while Lydia gets some rest.  
Arkosh  


14th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I compiled a list of tasks I’ll be able to complete on our way back to Markarth. The closest one is going to be investigating some Dwarven ruins. We’ll eat and then get on that.  
Arkosh  
On my way to the Dwarven ruins, I came across another Orc stronghold. One of the inhabitants spotted me and invited me inside. I accepted; a break for me and Lydia sounded good. I wandered the stronghold. I spoke to some of the other Orcs. They gave me some information on their culture. It felt good to be around my own people and learn more about my heritage. I could tell Lydia was a feeling uncomfortable, so I wanted to wrap things up.  
I saw a man training in front of the main building. He introduced himself as Ghorbash. We talked for a short while. I said I was heading out, and he said something about wanting to go adventuring with me. I said he could, but he told me it would dishonor the chief and his clan. I reminded him that he just said he missed adventuring. He realised his contradiction and agreed to come with me.   
I asked if Lydia wanted to take a break. She said she would return to Markarth and wait for me there. I’m finishing this entry, then Ghorbash and I are going to take on the ruins.  
Arkosh   
The ruins were not what I was expecting. When Ghorbash and I entered, we heard a ghostly voice warning us to stay away. We progressed despite the warning. We came across a body. She was an explorer, looking into the Dwemer ruins. Suddenly, a ghost approached us. It was the ghost of the body we found. Her name is Katria. She was looking into something called the Aetherium Forge. She assisted us as we went deeper into the ruins.  
Our main adversary was Falmer. I was hoping for the automatons, but there were a few of those still. When we got to the main chamber, I had to solve something called a Tonal Lock. It was simple. We got access to the vault once I solved the lock. Inside, there was a strange blue disc. Or, part of one anyway. According to Katria, there are three more pieces. Her journal indicates that she has leads on four other sites, so I’m guessing that’s where I’ll find the other pieces. If I’m near the other locations, I’ll keep my eyes open.  
“Well, what do you think of adventuring with me?” I asked Ghorbash when we exited.  
“It’s a lot more fun than swinging at practice dummies in Dushnik Yal. That’s for damn sure. I could get used to this life again,” he said.  
“Good. I’m glad you decided to come along,” I said. I enjoy Lydia’s company but getting to know someone new is also nice.  
“I’m glad you invited me.”  
It was dark when we got out, so we needed to find shelter soon. I marked a shack on the way in, but Markarth wasn’t that far away. I was fine either way, so I asked Ghorbash.  
“We should find shelter soon. There’s a shack nearby, or we could head to Markarth. What do you want?” I asked, looking down at my map.  
“I think we can make it to Markarth. Your wife probably misses you,” Ghorbash said jokingly.  
“Oh, Lydia? She’s not my wife.”  
“Suitor?”  
“Nope. She’s my Housecarl and my friend. No romantics involved between us.”  
“Oh. Apologies. You look like you would have a wife,” Ghorbash apologized. I started to dig through my bag to find my Amulet of Mara. When I found it, I presented it to him.  
“Wrong again. Desperately single and not looking for a wife. Never have, never will,” I said as Ghorbash inspected my necklace.  
“Men?” Ghorbash asked, surprised. I nodded to the affirmative.  
“That’s not a problem, is it?”  
“No. Not at all. In fact, I’ve been known to swing that way occasionally.”  
“Really?” I asked incredulously.  
“Yep. Few guys when I was in the Legion. Few women also,” he said as we started our walk back to Markarth.  
“You were in the Legion?” I asked.  
“Yeah. I was stationed in Cyrodiil and the in Skyrim when the Stormcloaks started gathering more support.” He continued to talk about his history in the Legion, then moved on to his personal backstory. He grew up in the stronghold where I found him. He left for the Legion as soon as he could enlist, served for a three years before returning to Dushnik Yal, where his brother, who is the chief, let him stay. Then I picked him up.  
When Ghorbash concluded his saga, I began my own. By the time I finished my story, we had made it to Markarth.  
“Thanks for sharing. I’m honored to fight beside the Dragonborn,” Ghorbash said as we walked through the gates of the city.  
“It’s nothing really. You’ll just have to help me kill dragons every once in awhile.”  
“I do love a challenge.” I guided him to the inn where Lydia and I were staying, and paid for his room and ordered him a meal.  
“Thanks, Arkosh,” he said “But you don’t have to do that. I have my own gold, you know.”  
“I know. That’s just something I believe; I’ll always pay for my companions’ food and beds. Save your gold and buy yourself a new axe or a set of armor.”  
“Alright. Thanks again. Good night,” he said outside of his room.  
“Good night. I’m glad you came with me.”  
“Me too.”  
Arkosh

  
15th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I get up a little later than normal. When I head down to the common area of the inn, I see Ghorbash and Lydia at a table already. I see Ghorbash say something that made Lydia start laughing. I’m glad he’s fitting in well. I decide to join them.  
“Good morning, Arkosh,” Lydia says. “I was just getting to know Ghorbash.”  
“I think he’s a keeper. What about you?” I ask Lydia.  
“Definitely. I think he’ll be a good fit for us.”  
“You’re too kind. Both of you. I’m glad you even let me come with you,” Ghorbash said.  
“Of course. Have you eaten yet?” I asked them.  
“We’re waiting for our food still. We ordered yours, too,” Ghorbash said.  
“Good, because I’m starving. Thanks, guys,” I said. I can get used to this. Having a little band of friends, roaming Skyrim, bonding. That was what I originally wanted with Skyrim. Leon at my side, nothing to stop us. I thought that dream died with Leon. But I just needed to find the right people to help me remember it. This could be an alright life after all.  
Arkosh  
After we finished our meal, I said I wanted to leave Markarth quickly and head back to Whiterun. I wanted to get these witch heads out of my bag soon. I think they’re starting to decompose. Ghorbash said he wanted to grab some things from Dushnik Yal, but he’ll meet Lydia and me in Whiterun. Once we determined our plan, Lydia and I went for the carriage. We’ll be in Whiterun in about an hour.  
Arkosh  
It was dark by the time Lydia and I got to Whiterun and there’s no sign of Ghorbash. I’ll send Lydia home then give Kodlak the heads.  
Arkosh

  
16th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
The Silver Hand attacked Jorrvaskr and Kodlak is dead. Vilkas pulled me aside and said that the two of us are going to wipe out the Silver Hand. Whatever his problem was with me a few days ago was set aside. On our way out, I quickly scribbled down a note for Lydia and Ghorbash explaining where I am and why. I set it on a table in our house. I hope they understand. With that taken care of, I can focus on the Silver Hand. Let’s kill those bastards.  
Arkosh  
Their main base is near Dawnstar, so Vilkas and I are taking the carriage. We were so focused on what we were going to do, we didn’t talk much during the ride. We’ll arrive in Dawnstar shortly, then walk to the Silver Hand’s main base.  
Arkosh  
Vilkas and I killed them all. Every single one of them. We took them by surprise and avenged Kodlak. I entered my beast form, but Vilkas did not. We killed them easily. When Vilkas took out the last one, I returned to my normal form, finally clothed. I grabbed the fragments of Wuuthrad they stole and told Vilkas I was ready. We walked back to Dawnstar in silence. We’ll take the carriage back to Whiterun.  
Arkosh  
It was awkward silence for most of the ride. I was thinking back to when he pushed past me a few days ago in Jorrvaskr, and how he’s still a little rude around me. He barely spoke to me even after we took out the Silver Hand.  
“Do you have a problem with me?” I asked. Vilkas looked at me, sighed, and put his head in his hands.  
“Yes. It’s not personal. It’s difficult to explain,” he said, thinking for a second. “Farkas...likes you. That’s what we had our disagreement on. He doesn’t know you very well, but he’s completely obsessed with you. That’s what I tried to tell him,” Vilkas explained.  
“But what does that I have to do with your problem with me?” I said. Lydia was right. Farkas does like me. I couldn't believe it.  
“I love my brother. I would never forgive myself if someone hurt him. I just want what’s best for him, and I wasn’t sure you were it. I didn’t trust you.”  
“Do you trust me now?” Vilkas looked away from me and thought for a minute. The realization of what Vilkas just told me had finally set in. I anxiously awaited his verdict. He turned back to look at me.  
“I don’t know yet. Do you even like him?” Vilkas asked me.  
“Yes. I do. Very much,” I told him. I was disappointed by Vilkas’ answer, but it wasn’t a no.  
“I need to think about this, talk to Farkas, too. See if this is what he really wants,” Vilkas said. I won’t lie, I’m disappointed and a little discouraged. We rode back to Whiterun in more silence.  
Arkosh  


17th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
When we returned to Whiterun, it was early morning. Vilkas told me to pay my respects at Kodlak’s funeral. I did as such. Eorlund asked me to find a fragment that Kodlak held to himself in his quarters. I found it, as well as Kodlak’s journal. Curiosity got the better of me and I read it. Apparently, I was in one of Kodlak’s dreams, and he thinks I could lead the Companions one day. Once I finished reading, I took the fragment to Eorlund. He said that the remaining members of the Circle were waiting for me in the Underforge.  
They were discussing Kodlak’s death and the best way to go about it. He wanted to be cleared of the beast blood, and he didn’t get that. He found a way, though. We need to go to Ysgramor’s tomb. The key is Wuuthrad, which happened to have been repaired as we were discussing the matter. Eorlund came in and gave me the weapon. With that, we set out for the tomb.  
Ysgramor’s tomb is very close to Winterhold, so we paid for a carriage and set in for a long ride. Farkas sat next to me, so I felt very uncomfortable with Vilkas eyeing me like a hawk. We were about halfway to Winterhold when I noticed that Farkas was holding my hand. He seemed nervous. I was too, but not about the tomb. I saw Vilkas staring at our hands, but I didn’t pull away from Farkas. We are still sitting like that, so I had to write this with my right hand. It’s a little messy but legible. Kind of.  
Arkosh  
We made it to Winterhold late in the afternoon, and there was still a good distance to walk. We got there just before nightfall. It’s going to be a cold ride back. We entered the tomb. There was a statue of Ysgramor, and Vilkas said that when I put Wuuthrad back, the tomb will unlock. He was correct. Aela, Farkas, and I ventured in. Vilkas stayed behind, which I can’t say I was sad about. We fought the ghosts of the original Companions. Not all 500, but quite a few.  
We approached a large cave. Inside there were many spiders. Farkas said he couldn’t go on. He said the spiders were too much for him. Before Aela and I pressed on, Farkas pulled me aside.  
“Come back alive for me, would you?” he said.  
“I wasn’t planning on dying, but anything for you,” I said casually.  
“I mean it. Don’t die,” Farkas said, placing a hand on my arm. “I’d miss you.”  
“I’d miss you, too.” I was about to leave but Farkas held on to me. He leaned in close to me, hesitated, and kissed me on the cheek.  
“Come back alive and you can get the rest,” he said. I was too stunned to make a comeback. Fortunately, Aela made one for me.  
“There’s a table over there if you two just want to fuck while I go be a hero,” Aela called. Farkas and I shared a look.  
“You’d better get going. Can’t let her get all the glory,” Farkas said, finally releasing my arm. “Good luck.”  
Aela and I pressed deeper into the tomb. There were spiders and more ghosts. It was a challenge, but we prevailed. We found Kodlak’s ghost waiting in the final room. He instructed me to put one of the witches’ heads on the fire in the center of the room. I did so, and a red wolf spirit emerged from Kodlak. We had to kill it so Kodlak would be free from his beast side. We cleansed Kodlak, and he left for Sovngarde. Before he did so, he said that I was to become the new Harbinger and lead the Companions. Aela was surprised, but respected Kodlak’s request.  
I figured that if I put another witch head on the fire, I could be cured of my lycanthropy too. I thought about it, and I cast a head onto the fire. I doubt I’ll ever use the beast form again, and I miss restful sleep. Plus, spending all of eternity in Hircine’s hunting ground isn’t that appealing to me, so I thought that it was for the best. It was a similar process for me as with Kodlak; I needed to kill a spirit wolf to cure my lycanthropy. It was easy. I don’t feel any different, except that I was suddenly hit with a wave of fatigue.  
I made it to the main chamber and found Vilkas and Farkas sitting, waiting for our return. Farkas got up and ran over to me and pulled me into a hug. He was about to kiss me, but instead he turned and looked at Vilkas. He nodded. Farkas kissed me properly this time. He felt warm in the coolness of the stone tomb; his lips were chapped, but soft. I melted in his arms. It was the perfect moment that I’ve waited so long for.  
“Arkosh. I’d like like to speak with you outside,” Vilkas called. Farkas pulled away.  
“You’d better go. You don’t want to know how much convincing it took him to let this happen,” Farkas said. I kissed him one more time before going to speak to Vilkas.  
It was snowing fiercely outside.  
“Treat him right. That is my one request. He trusts easily, and will assume you’re good for him. I need you to be good for him. Please. As his brother and your friend, that is the advice I give and the request I make,” Vilkas said.  
“I will, Vilkas. You have my word.” I placed my hand on his shoulder to assure him.  
“That’s all I can ask for,” Vilkas said. “Now tell me what the tomb was like.” I explained everything from the ghosts to Kodlak’s request.  
“So you’re the new Harbinger? If that’s the old man’s request,” Vilkas said. When we finished talking, Farkas emerged from the tomb.  
“I think you two should pick up where you left off. Have fun,” Vilkas said returning to the tomb.   
“Hey,” I said.  
“Hey,” Farkas said.  
“It’s cold out here,” I said observantly.  
“Indeed. How are we going to keep warm?” Farkas said with a smile.  
“I have some thoughts on that, actually,” I told him, pulling him closer to me.  
“Is that so?” I smiled and kissed him. “What did you have in mind?”  
“I thought we could go back to the inn, drink too much mead, and talk about our future together.”  
“I like the sound of that,” he said taking my hand. We went back to Winterhold and did exactly that.  
Arkosh  



	4. Thief

18th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I woke up with Farkas curled up next to me. Last night was perfect. We just laid on the bed, drinking and talking about a future for us. We just dreamed of what life could be with each other. Eventually, we fell asleep. It was the best night of sleep I’ve gotten in awhile.  
“Hey,” I said, rolling over to face Farkas.  
“Hey. Wanna eat?” he asked.  
“Yeah.” We got up and got dressed, and walked out to the dining room of the inn. We ordered our food and sat down.  
“Let’s go back to Whiterun first. I have business in and around Markarth I want to take care of soon, but I want to take my friends with me. I’d love for you to come along,” I said to Farkas.  
“Okay. That sounds fun. What do you need to do?” he asked.  
“Dealing with Forsworn mostly. Up for that?”  
“Of course. I’ve wanted to fight with you ever since your trial.”  
“Me too.” We finished our food then took the carriage to Whiterun.  
We got to Whiterun just in time for dinner. I wanted to stop by my house to tell Lydia and Ghorbash that I was alright. When I stepped through the door, Lydia bolted down the stairs and pulled me into a hug.  
“Oh gods, Arkosh! You’re back! We were so worried. Where were you?” Lydia said. I think she wanted to be mad, but I could tell she was only relieved.  
“I’m really sorry. Everything just happened so fast. Let’s sit down and I can explain,” I said, pulling up a chair. Lydia sat next to me and I saw Ghorbash come down the steps.  
“I told you he was fine,” he said as he set a chair next to my own.  
“Hush. He’s going to tell us what happened,” Lydia said. Farkas was awkwardly standing by the door. Nobody seemed to notice him.  
“Why don’t you pull up a chair, Farkas? It’s storytime,” I said, gesturing to the last remaining seat. He finally sat down.  
“I was there. I can tell all the times I saved your ass,” he said. I laughed at Farkas’ remark. I could tell Lydia knew something happened between Farkas and me, but she held her tongue. I shared our story. There was silence for a short while until Ghorbash spoke.  
“Huh. So you’re the leader of the Companions now?” he said, processing my tale.   
“I guess so. I-” I began, but Lydia cut me off.  
“That’s nice, but what happened to you two?” she said, gesturing to Farkas and me. “You actually managed to look at each other without blushing.”  
“Farkas and I are together now,” I said, looking at him.  
“About time, too,” Farkas added. We locked eyes and smiled.  
“Nice work, Arkosh,” Lydia said. “I’m proud of you,” she said.  
“Yeah. Nice work. Let’s learn about your new man over dinner, though. I’m starving,” Ghorbash said, getting out of his seat.  
“Sounds good to me,” Farkas said rising to join Ghorbash.  
“You two go on. I want to talk with Arkosh for a minute,” Lydia said.  
“Okay. We’ll get a table. See you in a bit,” Ghorbash said, exiting the house with Farkas.  
“I’m really proud of you, Arkosh. I’m glad you found someone,” Lydia said. “But please take us with you the next time you go out. I was really worried something happened to you. Ghorbash would never admit it, but he was too.”  
“I know. I’m really sorry. I wished I could have, but everything just escalated and there was never a break. As long I have power over it, I’ll take both of you with me. I’m sorry.”  
“I forgive you. There’s one more thing.”  
“Yeah?”  
“Could you tell Ghorbash and me before you two...you know,” Lydia said. I laughed at that.  
“Sure,” I said.  
“Thanks. Let’s go before those two eat all of our food for us.”   
We had a good meal. Farkas introduced himself to the group and shared a little about himself. They seem to like him. We stayed out late, drinking plenty of ale, sharing stories, and having a great time. I’m glad that we all fit well together. Our happy little family. It sure is a good feeling.  
Arkosh

 

19th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
We all woke up a little later than normal, but we had a good time last night, so it doesn’t matter too much. I told the group that I wanted to head back to Markarth. They all agreed, so we loaded into the carriage and set off. I think it’ll be tomorrow when we get there.  
Arkosh

 

20th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
It was early morning when we reached Markarth. We all went to the inn and slept. We woke up a few hours later and ate. Ghorbash and Farkas wanted to explore the city, so that meant Lydia would come with me to do my errands. I’ll write again once I’ve completed my business in the city.  
Arkosh  
There have been some updates. One, I spoke to a Vigilant of Stendarr about an abandoned house. I offered to investigate with him, and he allowed me to accompany me. Lydia said the whole thing was giving her the creeps, so she waited outside. Turns out, Molag Bal, a Daedric Prince, was haunting the house and made the Vigilant of Stendarr attack me. When I killed him, the Daedra said he had a reward waiting for me downstairs. I found the room where the “prize” was hidden. Molag Bal trapped me and told me to find a priest of Boethiah and lead him to that room. I might, but I’m not crazy about human sacrifice.  
The next update is that a Thalmor (who wasn’t a complete asshole) asked me to find evidence of Talos worship in a citizen’s house. I’m sure the Thalmor will pay well, so I’ll sneak in later. After I spoke to him, I wanted to see if I could do a bounty for the Jarl. He doesn't trust me but gave me a task anyway; I’m supposed to kill a Forsworn leader. If I come across him in my travels, I’ll take care of it.  
Third, I gave an archaeologist who was studying the Dwemer some enchanted Dwarven bracers for his research. Also, I was instructed by a priestess of Mara to try and help him find love. It wasn’t my business, but I spoke to him anyway. Calcelmo, who is the man I just spoke of, is in love with the Jarl’s Housecarl. He wanted me to speak with one of her friends about what she likes.  
That’s all for now. I’ll write again soon.  
Arkosh  
I spoke to the friend, who sold me a poem that the Housecarl would like. I gave it to her, and she gave me a letter to Calcelmo. I gave it to him, and they started a relationship. Good for them, I guess. Calcelmo also requested that I kill a spider in the Dwarven ruins. Maybe I will soon. I also received word that the Hall of Dead was locked down. The priest of Arkay said that the bodies were being eaten. That was a little alarming, but it was getting late, and I want to take care of various Forsworn problems outside Markarth, so I’ll go look into it in a day or two. Right now, I’m going to take Lydia back to the inn and reconvene with Farkas and Ghorbash.  
Arkosh  
When Lydia and I got back to the inn, Farkas and Ghorbash were already drinking. We sat next to them.  
“Hey,” Farkas said after we kissed. “How’d your business go?”  
“Oh, it was great. I helped an old warlock fall in love and was attacked by a Daedric Prince,” I said with a sigh. “I made some decent coin, though, so you could say it was worth it. What about you? How was your date with your new Orc lover?” He playfully punched my shoulder and Ghorbash laughed.  
“It was fun. We explored the city for a few hours, then left. We found a Forsworn camp and killed them. I found this for you,” Farkas said, reaching into his bag. He pulled out a beautiful silver circlet set with gleaming sapphires. The gems glowed slightly from an enchantment. “Do you like it?”  
“Oh, Farkas, it’s beautiful!”  
“Then it suits you perfectly. Here,” he said, placing it atop my head. I pulled my hair out of the way and looked at Farkas.  
“Does it look okay?” I asked hesitantly.  
“It looks wonderful. I’m glad you like it.” I heard Lydia groan.  
“Get a room already,” she said lightheartedly.  
“Have you seen the beds? They are literally hard as rocks. It’s bad enough sleeping on them. I don’t really want to know what sex feels like on them,” I countered.   
We ate dinner and then retired to bed. I want to take Farkas outside the city tomorrow and take care of everyone’s various Forsworn problems. It’s about time he took his actual Orc lover on a date.   
Arkosh

 

21st of Heartfire, 4E 201  
We all woke up reasonably early and had breakfast together. We discussed our plans for the day. I stated my plans with Farkas, and Lydia said she wanted to see friends in Falkreath. Ghorbash said she’d accompany her. With our destinations settled, we left for our business.  
Arkosh  
Farkas and I killed the Forsworn that took over Kolskeggr Mine. I’ll inform the owner that it’s clear. Onwards to the next thing that’s been taken over by Forsworn.  
Arkosh  
On my way to the next Forsworn camp, I found the priest of Boethiah, who was unsurprisingly captured by Forsworn. The leader that captured him was a target for a bounty, so I crossed two things off of my list. It’s getting dark. We should find shelter soon. There’s a Forsworn camp near here. I’ll take Farkas, clear the Forsworn out hope they have something that resembles a bed.  
Arkosh  
Well, the Forsworn have some hay with animal pelts on top of them in place of beds. I guess it’s better than the stone “beds” in Markarth. We’ll spend the night here, then go back to Markarth.  
Arkosh

 

22nd of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I woke up to the smell of smoke. Farkas wasn’t next to me, and I started to panic. I rushed out of the tent where we slept, looking around for the fire. There was a fire, but Farkas was standing over it, turning a cooking spit.  
“Morning,” Farkas said when he noticed me. “I took some food from your bag to cook. I hope that’s okay.”  
“Yeah. That’s fine,” I said, trying to calm down.  
“You okay?” he asked, looking up from the meat he was cooking.  
“I am now. You were gone and there was smoke. I thought something happened.”  
“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” Farkas said. He checked the meat he was cooking. “I think this is done. Hungry?”  
“Very.” We ate well for breakfast and then set out for the journey back to Markarth.  
Arkosh  
We got to the city around midday. On my way, I gave some ingredients to a Khajiit priest of Peryite. I made the mistake of inhaling the fumes of what he concocted. Peryite instructed me to kill an elf named Orchendor. He said he’d give me an escutcheon (which is just a fancy word for shield) if I completed his orders. I’m getting tired of Markarth, so I won’t do that now. Eventually, though. Maybe.   
When we entered the city, we stopped by the inn to see if Lydia and Ghorbash had gotten back from Falkreath. They hadn’t, so I turned in the bounties and informed the miners that Kolskeggr Mine was unoccupied. I guess I should go back to the shrine of Molag Bal. I’ve sent Farkas back to the inn to wait for Lydia and Ghorbash. I hope this is quick.  
Arkosh  
Molag Bal asked me to beat the priest. Considering that I was being asked by a powerful Daedric Prince, I wasn’t exactly in a position to refuse. I had to beat him several times before the priest pledged his soul to Molag Bal. When he did, I was instructed to kill him. I did so. When the deed was done, the Daedra gave me an enchanted mace. It looks quite wicked. I’ve never been much of a mace person, so I’ll display it at my house in Whiterun. I’ll go back to the inn and see if Lydia and Ghorbash have returned yet.  
Arkosh   
When we got back to the inn, they were sitting at the bar. I joined them. Lydia went to visit childhood friends in Falkreath. She said it went well and it was good to see them again. I shared my own adventures with them. We discussed our day further over dinner, then decided to call it a night. I’m getting tired of Markarth, and I feel that I should get the horn of Jurgen Windcaller for the Greybeards. I’ll share my plans with the group tomorrow and go from there.  
Arkosh

 

23rd of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I shared my plans with the group over breakfast. I didn’t hear any objections, so we’ll take the carriage to Morthal when we finish our food.  
Arkosh  
We got to Morthal much earlier than I expected. We all checked in and got our rooms. I wanted to explore what little there is in Morthal, and Ghorbash said he’d come with me. He said he wanted to talk to me about something. I wonder what it is?  
Arkosh  
Ghorbash and I walked around the village ("city" is a bit generous for Morthal) for a while. I wanted to find a general store, but apparently, there isn’t one. I settled for the alchemist’s store to sell some ingredients for potions. We were about to go back to the inn when Ghorbash pulled me aside.  
“Arkosh, could I tell you something?” he asked.  
“Anything. What’s on your mind?” I answered. He took a deep breath before responding.  
“I...I like Lydia. As in romantically like her,” he said quickly.  
“Good for you. Have you told her?” I asked, wondering what this had to do with me.  
“No. I wanted your permission first.”  
“Permission?”  
“Yes. She is your Housecarl and your friend.”  
“You’re my friend, too. She may be my Housecarl, but she’s a person. I don’t own her. You don’t need my permission,” I explained. Ghorbash seemed relieved. “Honestly, I think you should tell her. Just don’t use an Amulet of Mara; she hates those things. Tell her directly.”  
“Oh. Okay. Good to know, I guess,” he said, sighing in relief. “I’ll tell her soon. Thanks for the talk.” We went back to the inn for dinner and to sleep.  
Arkosh

 

24th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
We all set out for the resting place of the horn of Jurgen Windcaller. It was a decent sized walk to the crypt. We arrived safely and entered. When we entered the first room, we saw two dead bandits lying on the ground.  
“Huh. Looks like someone’s done our job for us,” Ghorbash remarked.  
“Rather poorly, it’d seem. Their friends up ahead seem rather healthy,” Farkas replied. “I think we can fix that.” We quickly did so. Among the bandits, there was a necromancer and a few dead Draugrs. We found more dead enemies throughout the crypt, but plenty of living ones also. They now also lie dead.  
When we got to the main chamber and had dealt with the Draugrs, I approached the tomb where I figured where the horn should be. It was missing. In its place, there was a note. It requested that I rent the attic room at the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood. When I broke the news to my friends, there was a mixture of annoyance and disappointment from them, and I felt the same way. But, I see little choice but to do as the note says. We left the crypt for the hike back to Morthal. We’ll sleep and take the carriage back to Whiterun.  
Arkosh

 

25th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
We woke at the inn and did our normal routine of making plans over breakfast. Nobody seemed particularly fond of Morthal, so we’ll head out soon and take the carriage back to Whiterun.  
Arkosh  
We arrived at Whiterun before dark. I wanted to sell things at the stores, so I casually suggested with a sly wink that Ghorbash to take Lydia to the tavern to get their dinner before Farkas and me. Ghorbash flashed me an annoyed smirk before leading Lydia away. Farkas and I toured the shops for an hour or two. I’m going to wager that Ghorbash and Lydia’s date was more fun than me and Farkas’. I wanted to change that, but I didn’t know how. I elected to ask Farkas.  
“What do you want to do, Farkas?” I asked as we sat under the Gildergreen.  
“Hmm?” he hummed, looking at me.  
“I want us to do something fun but I don’t have any ideas. Do you?” I restated as I took his hand in mine. He thought for a moment before replying.  
“Want to go kill bandits for fun?” he asked. I thought he was joking but by the way he looked at me I knew he was genuine. It wasn’t particularly romantic, but it was time alone with Farkas, so it was good with me.  
“That sounds lovely. Let me write a note to Lydia and Ghorbash, then we can go have our own date,” I said as I grabbed a loose sheet of paper to compose the note. When I finished I set the note on the dining table. I made sure to promise that we’ll be back by tomorrow morning. With that, we left Whiterun.  
We walked along the road, hand in hand, to just taking a moment to breathe. There aren’t enough moments like that, so we tried to savor it while it lasted. We continued along the road for a way, when we spotted an entrance to a cave. There were obvious signs of a bandit encampment inside. I was content to just walk with Farkas, but he seemed hell-bent on killing something, but I let him lead me into the cave. I think his beast side was getting the better of him.  
We made short work of the bandits inside. It was alright, but I could tell Farkas was more relaxed, which made it worth it to me. We ate dinner in the camp, and Farkas suggested that we head back. I felt a little disappointed that was all we were doing, but I didn’t know what else to do. I felt guilty that I didn't take Farkas to do anything. I agreed to return to Whiterun, though.  
We walked in silence underneath the Aurora. I had started to zone out when Farkas grabbed my hand and pulled me aside.  
“What is it, Farkas?” I asked tiredly.  
“Look, it’s the shack where we stayed for your trial,” he said, pointing at the derelict structure.  
“So it is. That seems like so long ago,” I remarked.  
“Do you want to make camp there, for old time’s sake?” Farkas asked me. I felt really tired and wanted to sit down, so I accepted his offer. Farkas set about gathering wood for a fire while I went ahead to the cabin to make sure nothing was living in it. There wasn’t. I sank down onto the bed, head in my hands. I felt like I was going to cry. I didn’t hear Farkas enter.  
“Hey. What’s wrong?” he asked, sitting down next to me and pulling me into him.  
“I feel like shit because I haven’t done anything for you. I can’t think of anything for us to do, and the only time we’re together is when we’re fighting. You and your brother have taken a chance on me and I feel like I’m wasting it,” I blurted, feeling tears welling in my eyes.  
“No, no, no. You’re not wasting it. We knew there wouldn’t be a lot of time just for us, and I’ve greatly enjoyed the time we’ve spent together. And regardless of what we do, I love you, Arkosh,” Farkas soothed. With that, I started to cry. Farkas pulled me in closer, holding me while I shook. I felt safe in his arms. We sat there for quite a while. I pulled away from to look at him. He put a hand on my face and wiped away a tear with his thumb.  
“I love you, too, Farkas,” I said, placing my hand over his.  
“I had a feeling.” We kissed, soft and long. We remained that way for many minutes, taking in each others’ presence. Inevitably, our hands started roaming, searching for skin underneath armor. There wasn’t enough. Farkas started pulling at the straps on my armor, quickly undoing them, kissing me after each strap was loose. He tossed the chest plate on the floor with a clunk and moved onto my gauntlets. They too were discarded on the floor.  
It was my turn to take off Farkas’ armor. Much like my own, it was tossed onto the floor of the cabin. We were in our underclothes. We didn’t stop there. Farkas nearly ripped my shirt trying to get it off of me. When it was off, he pushed me onto my back. He was on top of me, and that was right where I wanted him. I reached up to take Farkas’ shirt off as well. He didn’t resist.  
I explored Farkas’ chest with my hands; taking in every detail. The long, curved scars adorning his muscular back; the brown hair covering his belly and chest; his strong arms pinning me on the bed. Farkas began a similar treatment with my own body; his large hands moving up my sides, moving onto my chest, dragging his fingers through the dark hair on my chest down to my waist. He started fiddling with my belt and I tore my hands away from his strong back to begin on his belt too.  
Our pants and underwear soon joined the pile of clothes on the floor of the cabin. It was about time I could properly admire Farkas. His powerful legs, his prominent hips, his generous ass. He truly is a sight to behold. From the look in his eyes, I could tell he was giving me a once (or twice) over with a certain hunger. I was more than happy to fill him up.  
Arkosh

 

26th of Heartfire. 4E 201  
I woke up feeling a certain warmth that I hadn’t felt in a while. It is a great feeling; I like to think it’s what love feels like. I snuggled closer to Farkas. He pulled me closer still. I could feel his breathing on the back of my neck. I felt content at that moment. I have a man I love, a warm house, caring and accepting friends, and a purpose. I don’t think I could ask for more. I wished I could just lie here with Farkas for the rest of the day, but that purpose I mentioned requires a lot of quests to complete.  
“Morning, sleepyhead,” I said, rolling around under his arm around my waist.  
“Is it morning already?” he groaned, squinting with one eye at me.  
“Tragically, it is,” I answered, sitting up, the thin blanket falling to my waist. I got off of the bed. I began collecting my clothes that were carelessly flung around the room from last night. I heard the bed creak, which meant Farkas was getting up in some way. The floorboards started creaking, which meant that he was completely up. He crept up behind me and wrapped his arms around my hips.  
“When we finish with this dragon business, I want us to move somewhere warm, have a few kids, and start a family. With you. Me. We’ll be happy. Together. Do you want that, too?” Farkas said close to my ear. I turned to face him and wrapped my own arms around his waist.  
“There is nothing I would want more, Farkas,” I answered as I pressed my forehead against his. He smiled and I closed what little space there was between us with a kiss. His scruff was rough on my own, but it was a nice feeling.  
We dressed quickly and left the shack. We made it back to Whiterun after a half hour of walking. We walked into our house. I set about getting food ready for breakfast, and Farkas said he was going upstairs to clean himself up. I was cutting up some potatoes when I heard Farkas softly call from upstairs. I crept up the stairs and saw Farkas standing outside of Lydia’s room.  
Inside, Lydia was sleeping in her bed with Ghorbash next to her with an arm wrapped around her torso. They looked peaceful, so I decided to let them rest more while I finished breakfast preparations. After another hour or so, the new couple came down the stairs, dressed but still bedraggled.  
“Morning!” I said cheerfully. “Sleep well?” I asked as I served them each a plate of hot food.  
“We...I mean I slept well. How did the rest of you sleep?” she asked before tearing into her plate of food.  
“We slept well too,” I answered for Farkas and myself. He gave me a mischievous smirk in agreement. “Just one question. Ghorbash, did you sleep upstairs last night? I thought you always slept downstairs.”  
Ghorbash gave Lydia a look. He looked at me then back at Lydia. He was about to speak when Lydia cut him off.  
“He slept with me. He will again. I hope that’s fine with you,” she said bluntly.  
I was about to congratulate them, but Farkas had a better idea.  
“Yeah, we know. We heard you two all last night,” he said flatly. Lydia blushed and Ghorbash’s jaw dropped slightly. They shared a look while trying to come up with their response. There was a considerable amount of awkward silence before Ghorbash spoke.  
“Uh...we’re sorry. I hope we weren’t too loud. I didn’t even know you two were in the house,” he apologized, embarrassed.  
“We weren’t,” I said.  
“But you said...I thought…” Lydia processed. “You ass!” she exclaimed when everything clicked in her head. “It’s not funny!” she said in vain to try and stop Farkas and me from giggling like kids. Lydia looked at Ghorbash for support but I could tell he was suppressing a laugh. Lydia pouted and refused to look at any of us for the rest of breakfast.  
I reminded my company about the missing horn of Jurgen Windcaller. That piqued Lydia’s interest and brought her out of her snit. She suggested that we go to the inn mentioned in the letter. Farkas thought it could be a trap. I reminded them that this was our only lead. Silence fell on the table. I said that I would take a chance and do as the note says. We’ll all head down to the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood shortly.  
Arkosh  
The walk to Riverwood was short and uneventful. I was still sore from the previous night’s events with Farkas, so it was a good opportunity to stretch before we inevitably encounter combat. We entered the Sleeping Giant Inn. It was almost completely empty. I felt a little silly, but I asked the woman in charge to rent the attic room, which was also in the instructions on the note. The innkeeper said that the inn didn’t have an attic room. I felt quite stupid and I felt a mixture of feelings from my companions. She led me to a random room and shut the door behind her, leaving the rest of my party outside.  
The woman asked if I was the Dragonborn, and I said yes. She was the one who took the horn I was supposed to find for the Greybeards, and she gave it to me. She then led me out of the room and took me and my companions into a hidden room underneath the inn. When we all were out of earshot of any curious customers, she introduced herself as Delphine. To make a long lecture short, Delphine says that the dragons are coming back to life, and she’s worked out where the next one will be resurrected. She thinks it’ll be in Kynesgrove. I find this all a bit suspicious (as do my companions) but this is the only lead we have on how to stop the dragons. We don’t have much choice. We’ll depart for Kynesgrove after we’ve rested.  
Arkosh  
We’re taking a carriage to Windhelm. We’re bound to get there early tomorrow morning, so we’ll sleep at the inn until it’s light out, then set out for Kynesgrove.  
Arkosh

27th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
We arrived early like I predicted, so we slept a few hours. One benefit of Lydia and Ghorbash being together is I only have to pay for two rooms instead of three, so that’s a plus, I guess. Anyways, we’ll eat breakfast and walk the rest of the way to Kynesgrove.  
Arkosh  
We all arrived at Kynesgrove after a short walk from Windhelm. There was a woman who ran past my group screaming about a dragon attack on the village. At least Delphine was telling the truth. We hiked up to where the dragon was flying; it was flying around a mound in the ground. Delphine snuck up behind us as we got in cover. She explained the mound was a tomb for an ancient dragon.   
The dragon flying overhead started chanting in a strange language that I didn’t understand, but was oddly familiar. When the dragon had stopped the incantation or whatever it was, another dragon burst from the mound, completely alive despite Delphine’s description of the mound. When the freshly resurrected dragon was out of his tomb, the flying dragon called me out. I thought I was being sneaky, but clearly not. The flying dragon then ordered the new dragon to attack us and then it flew off.  
The battle with the dragon was much more challenging than other dragons I’ve faced before, but we slew it anyway. Delphine seemed surprised that we were able to do it. She said she was a member of the Blades, an ancient order of dragon slayers. She filled us in on what she knew about the return of the dragons, which wasn’t much. But she seemed damn sure that the Thalmor were behind it. The best way to find out would be to infiltrate the Thalmor Embassy in Skyrim. She didn’t have a plan, but she told me and my friends to meet her back in Riverwood.  
I’m tired, and I think everyone else is. We’ll spend the rest of the day in Windhelm and run a few errands. We can meet with Delphine tomorrow.  
Arkosh

28th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
When we got to Windhelm, my group splintered to take care of our own various errands. One of my errands was to tell Aventus Aretino that I killed Grelod the Kind, as per our “contract.” He was thankful that I did it, and gave me a silver plate for my trouble. I was walking to the marketplace, but I saw a small group of people hovering around the mutilated body of a woman. The supervising guard told me to stay away but due to my naturally inquisitive nature, I inquired about the murder.  
She said this wasn’t the first murder of this grisly nature. She requested that I speak to the Jarl’s steward before I investigate. He gave me permission to investigate, so I did. There was a trail of blood leading away from the crime scene, and it led to an unoccupied house. Nothing was amiss when I entered, but I wasn’t satisfied. Some snooping later, and I found a peculiar amulet hidden in a stack of papers. I was going to call that good and head back to the steward. As I was getting up to leave, I tripped over my big feet like the clumsy klutz I am and fell into a wardrobe. I was expecting it to come down with me, but it did not; I just bounced off it.  
I picked myself up from the dusty floor and inspected the wardrobe. It appeared to be nailed to the wall. I opened it, but it just looked like a normal wardrobe. I searched for some clue but came up empty. I sighed and leaned against the back panel in defeat. To my surprise, the panel swung open and I fell unceremoniously on my ass (again). I got up and inspected the hidden room that I fell into. The first thing I saw was the blood; there was a sizeable puddle at the base of some type of altar, which was covered in bones. It was clear that something terrible was going on here, so I decided to take what evidence I had to the steward. On my way out of the house, an older woman approached me and handed me a flyer warning me to “Beware the Butcher!” (spooky). I had also found some journals, which I showed to the woman. She read them and accused the court mage of the murders and necromancy. I felt this was a hasty decision. I just wanted to know more about the amulet, but I would eventually inquire about the necromancy.  
I showed the amulet to the steward. He didn’t give me much help, but he gave me a lead. He suggested that I take the strange amulet I found to Calixto, who owns a gallery of curious and bizarre objects. I took the amulet to Calixto, who said it belonged to the court mage. Calixto offered to buy the amulet from me, but I declined. I wanted to show it to the court mage first.   
I found the court mage easily enough. I thought I’d first ask him about any potential necromancy. He was shocked that I would accuse him of such. After a while of him explaining how he was with the College of Winterhold and blah, blah, blah. I’m sure you get the picture. Anyway, I showed him the amulet and he said it was the Necromancer’s Amulet. Based on this, he assumed there was necromancy involved at the heart of these murders. As such, he said that the next murder will happen in the Stone Quarter. I decided to go investigate the area of the next murder would occur.   
When I got there, everything seemed normal; there were people going about their business. I thought it was not going to happen, but I caught a glint of a drawn dagger. I rushed to the square, and Calixto, the man who wanted to buy the amulet, had his dagger out, ready to kill some poor girl. Lucky for her, I cut him down with my axe before he could strike. The woman thanked me, and I went to the steward to present who the murder was. When I did, the steward thanked me and gave me some gold for my service. It was getting dark, so I decided to head back to the inn and take a breather while my companions finish up the rest of their errands. So far only Farkas has shown up, but he left to go fight some racist asshole that slandered me for my Orcishness and Farkas for being associated with me. Gods, what did I do to deserve him?  
Arkosh

29th of Hearthfire, 4E 201  
By the time everyone returned to the inn, we were all ready to sleep, so we'd debrief and make new plans in the morning. Well, I guess it is already morning, so when the sun comes up I suppose.  
Arkosh  
We all woke up still tired. I was getting sick of Winterhold, and I think everyone else was too. I held a vote as to the next city we should travel to, and the general consensus was to head to Riften. We’ll finish up our meal then take the carriage there.  
Arkosh  
The carriage pulled into Riften just before dark. We got a meal at the inn then went to the house I own. We settled in for the night, and we’ll plan our errands tomorrow.  
Arkosh  
So something interesting happened when I went to sleep. Everything was fine, but when I woke up, I was in a strange shack. There was a masked woman perched on a bookshelf. Long speech short, she wanted me to kill a hostage for the Dark Brotherhood in repayment for killing Grelod, who was a contract for the Brotherhood. There was a mercenary, a bitchy mother, and a Khajiit; one had a contract, and I was supposed to kill them. I elected to off the Khajiit. I still don’t know if I was right in my choice, but the woman commended me for my obedience. She said I killed without question or regret. I don’t like killing, but I’ve done and seen so much of it, it has lost its sting. It’s morbid to say, but it's the truth. Because of this, she offered me a place in the Dark Brotherhood. I don’t know how I feel about it though. I guess I’ll consider it, but I’m going to keep this to myself.  
When I exited the shack, it was still early in the evening. I didn’t know where I was but based on my map, it seemed like I was near Morthal, so I picked the direction I thought and walked. I managed to find the village. I wanted to get back to Riften as soon as possible, so my friends wouldn’t worry. I took the carriage, which I’m still in now. I hope to be in Riften before everybody wakes up.  
Arkosh

30th of Heartfire, 4E 201  
I got to Riften early in the morning, so everyone was still asleep. I snuck back in the house and crawled back into bed to get a few hours of sleep before the day started. We all had things to do inside and outside the city, so I’ll write more when it’s worthwhile.  
Arkosh  
The biggest task on my list was a shakedown of some locals for Brynjolf. All I had to do was take protection money from people who hadn’t paid. It was easy enough and collected it without altercation. When I informed Brynjolf of my success, he claimed I was a natural thief, which I suppose is true, and invited me to join the Thieves’ Guild. I spoke with the leader, Mercer Frey (who is a complete dick, by the way) and he allowed me to join. Just from talking with some of the other members, they all have a tragic backstory in the vein of my own. I said I would try to avoid stealing, but the Guild could use my skills, and it sounds like there’s a fair amount of money involved. I’ll figure the morals out as they become important.  
I already have a contract. I’m supposed to steal the contents of a landlord’s safe and burn the beehives on a property called Goldenglow Estate. I think I’ll go out to take care of that tomorrow. First, I want to check if any of my crew is back yet.  
Arkosh  
When I got to my house, everyone was there. It wasn’t particularly late, but we were all ready to call it a day. We decided to cook a meal instead of going out like we normally do. Everybody helped out in some way; it felt like an idealistic family. It was all I could have ever wanted. We were all having a great time together. Laughing, smiling, being happy. It sure was a heartwarming feeling.   
When we had finished prepping the food, we settled down for dinner and got out the drinks. We all shared some of our adventures and tales; who we were, what we liked, where we’ve been. We were all having a grand time, but it was getting dark quickly, so we decided to call it a night and get some rest.  
Arkosh

1st of Frostfall, 4E 201  
We all woke up reasonably early, so I would have plenty of time to take care of my Thieves’ Guild business without being too secretive. We all said our goodbyes and set out for our tasks for the day. My primary objective was the job at Goldenglow Estate. Let’s hope I don’t disappoint.  
Arkosh  
The job went off without a hitch. First, I burned the beehives. I eluded the guards and used a fire spell to torch the apiaries. Then I snuck back to the house and infiltrated it undetected. Once inside, I avoided the guards. I also helped myself to some of the more expensive items lying around. Eventually, I found the owner of the estate. I tried to convince him to give me the key to the safe, but he attacked, so I had to kill him.  
I made it to the basement easily, which was where the safe was hidden. I had to eliminate one of the guards in my way. Besides him, no one else disrupted my job. I got the documents I needed and got out. Back in the Guild’s hideout, everyone was both pleased and impressed with my skills, especially Brynjolf, who paid me well. For my next big job, he sent me to Maven Black-Briar, who is a major face in both the Guild and in fact all of Skyrim. She wanted me to sabotage a rival brewery near Whiterun. I’ll get on that as soon as possible.  
Back in the hideout, I picked up some smaller side jobs from Delvin and Vex, who wanted me to steal some items in Solitude. I’ve never been there before. Maybe I’ll round up my friends and head over there in the close future. That would come later, whenever I tackle those jobs. Right now, I just want to head back to my house, eat something, and see who’s back from their errands.  
Arkosh  
When I checked back at the house, only Farkas had returned.  
“Hey, love. How’d your business go?” he asked after we kissed.  
“It went well, mostly sold a few trinkets,” I lied. I thought it would be best if my friends didn’t know about my affiliation with the Thieves’ Guild or the Dark Brotherhood, for that matter.  
“That’s good. Would you like to go for a walk around the city with me?” he proposed as he offered me his hand.  
“That would be lovely,” I said, taking his large hand in my own. We wandered aimlessly around the city for a while. Eventually, we stopped in front of the temple of Mara. When I looked at Farkas, he was displaying a mischievous grin.  
“Hey, Arkosh. Wanna get married?” he asked excitedly. At first, I thought he was joking, but I could tell from the look in his eyes he wasn’t.  
“Sounds good to me. Let’s do it,” I answered, leading him up the stairs. We talked to the priest in the temple, and we made the arrangements. It’s planned for tomorrow, so we’ll stay in Riften for another day. I still need to clean myself up and get clothes for it. Farkas thought it would be cute if we got married in our armor. I said it was a special day and I wanted us to feel special with new clothes. Anyways, I have some things to take care of for the wedding. Hopefully, the stores are still open.  
Arkosh  
I cleaned myself up, trimmed my beard a little, and got some fancy clothes all set for the big day tomorrow. By the time all this was done, Lydia and Ghorbash walked in the door.  
“Well aren’t you all neat and pretty,” Ghorbash remarked at my freshly cleaned state.  
“I need to be. I’m going to a wedding tomorrow,” I said, feeling giddy with excitement.  
“Oh? Whose?” Lydia asked suspiciously.  
“Mine.”  
“With Farkas?” Ghorbash and Lydia asked at the same time.  
“Yep,” I answered happily. They rushed over to me and pulled me into a hug.  
“Congratulations!” Lydia congratulated. Ghorbash simply clapped me on the shoulder in agreement.  
“You both are invited, of course,” I said.  
“We wouldn’t miss it,” Lydia said. They left me to finish getting ready for both the wedding and sleep. Farkas came in shortly thereafter.  
“I gave the invitations to a courier. Hopefully, everyone can make it. You look nice,” he said, coming to my side.  
“Thanks. I’ve been getting ready for a while now. I’m glad it was worth it,” I said, holding him close.  
“I definitely think it was. I should probably do the same.”  
“I think that would be really nice if you could,” I said, moving away from Farkas. He left to go set aside some clothes and clean up a little, while I finished getting ready for sleep. Tomorrow’s the big day!  
Arkosh  
2nd of Frostfall, 4E 201  
I woke up feeling still excited from yesterday. Farkas was already up, cooking breakfast for us.  
“Morning, Farkas. Ready for today?” I asked, reaching for a piece of bacon.  
“I’ve never been readier,” he responded, swatting my hand away from the meat.  
“That’s what I like to hear,” I said. Ghorbash and Lydia came to breakfast soon after. There was a general buzz in the room, and I was loving it. I was just zoning out, taking everything in, when Farkas pulled me out of it.  
“Hey. It’s about time to go to the temple. You might want to go change,” he kindly suggested. I took his advice. When I had changed into my nice clothes for the wedding, Farkas was also dressed and nicely preened.  
“You look...stunning,” I said in awe. Farkas was wearing his fancy clothes that showed his incredible frame. His hair was freshly washed and combed. He truly is a beautiful man.  
“Thanks,” he said sheepishly. “I feel kinda silly.”  
“Farkas, trust me. You look amazing and most other people are going to be dressed up too,” I said, taking his hands in mine. He took a deep breath.  
“Okay,” he said nervously. “Let’s go get married.” He led me out the door to the temple.  
We walked through the doors and were greeted by a large crowd. Ghorbash and Lydia were there of course. Aela and all of the other Companions were there, including Vilkas (which was a bit of a surprise to me). A few of my new Thieves’ Guild friends like Brynjolf were hovering near the back. Ralof and his sister had also made it. It was so good to see all of my friends in one place.  
Farkas walked me down the aisle to the altar. The priest began his speech. I tried to listen, I really did, but all I could focus on was the man standing next to me. Luckily, I started listening when I actually needed to speak.  
“Do you agree to be bound in love, now and forever?” the priest asked Farkas.  
“I do. Now and forever,” he said eagerly, looking my way.  
“Do you agree to be bound in love, now and forever?” the priest asked me.  
“I do. Now and forever,” I said, grinning at Farkas. When the priest concluded the ceremony, I rushed over to Farkas. He pulled me into a kiss. He just held me for a while.  
“Hey,” he said when we pulled apart. “We’re married now, aren’t we?”  
“We certainly are,” I said happily. We kissed again. Next, we had to listen to about an hour of our guests congratulating us. I suppose there are worse things to endure. They slowly shuffled out, shaking hands and hugging. They had all left except for one. Vilkas. He approached Farkas and me, and I started to panic. He gave me a look over for what felt like an eternity before he extended his hand for a shake. I was quite surprised but shook it nonetheless.   
“Welcome to the family,” Vilkas said gruffly. “Keep him happy.”  
“I plan to. Thank you for giving me this chance,” I said, still vaguely nervous. Vilkas merely grunted in response. He shook Farkas’ hand and said a few words and then left. I was watching him leave when Farkas brought me back to reality.  
“Hey, you okay?” Farkas asked gently with a hand on my shoulder.  
“Yeah. I'm fine. Your brother just freaked me out a little,” I said honestly.  
“He does certainly have that effect on people. Don't worry, he likes you. He'd never admit it to anyone though,” Farkas soothed.   
Outside, Lydia and Ghorbash were walking around the marketplace hand in hand. I flagged them down and they joined us.  
“Congratulations, both of you,” Ghorbash said.  
“I’m really happy for you both!” Lydia said excitedly, managing to pull both Farkas and me into a hug.  
“Thanks, both of you,” Farkas said. “We’re glad you could make it.”  
“Oh, it was such a journey. We had to walk a whole hundred yards. But we wouldn’t miss this for anything,” Lydia snarked. I could feel the eye-roll emanate from both Farkas and Ghorbash, but I like her sarcastic remarks. “Anyways, Ghorbash and I talked a little and we’re going to head back to Whiterun. I imagine you two are going to want the house to yourselves tonight,” Lydia said with an impish wink. Farkas looked at me with a suggestive look and I turned away blushing.   
“We’ll see you soon,” Ghorbash said, departing with Lydia. Farkas and I shared a look before making our way back to the house. When we entered, there was an awkward tension in the air.  
“Lydia kinda killed the mood a little, huh?” Farkas said, leaning on a dresser.  
“Perhaps a bit. I think we can find it again, don’t you?” I said coyly as I started pulling at the buttons on Farkas’ shirt. He let out a small laugh and kissed me. I still was undoing his shirt when he flipped positions and he lifted me onto the dresser and began working at my own shirt. He moved much faster than I and it quickly was flung away. He kissed me again, deeper this time, and started nipping at my exposed chest, kissing down to my belt buckle, which he promptly started undoing.  
“I’d say we found the mood again,” I said breathly. Farkas said nothing, still intent on getting my pants off. He succeeded. Once he had finished stripping me, he picked up off the dresser and pushed me onto the bed. He began to remove his own clothes before joining me. He gave me one last loving kiss before going down on me and then some.   
It was one of the best nights I’ve ever spent with anyone.  
Arkosh


End file.
